State Representative Dave Winters (R)

Years served: 1995 - Present

Committee assignments: Railroad Industry; Environment & Energy; Electric Generation & Commerce (Republican Spokesperson); Electric Utility Oversight (Republican Spokesperson); Youth and Family; Environmental Health; O’Hare Airport Environmental Impact; Telecommunications Committee.

TAXES AND SPENDING

Winters voted for a huge electric rate increase.

Winters helped pass SB1652 – a huge electric rate increase sought by ComEd and Ameren. (2011)

Winters voted to raise sales taxes and fees.

Winters voted for HB255 significantly raising the sales tax on a number of grocery related items including beverages, candy, and health and beauty aids. Taxes on beer, wine and other alcohol were also hiked. HB255 also triples the driver’s license fee. Further, this bill legalizes video gambling for bars and taverns. You can call that a “voluntary” tax if you want - but it still represents a big tax hike. Those bars and taverns don’t just hand over a big cut of their gambling machine proceeds to the state out of the goodness of their hearts. It’s a tax that gets the state its share of the machines’ take. (2009)

Winters voted for the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.

Winters’ vote for HB3866 demonstrates inability as a legislator to seriously address Illinois’ chronic fiscal crisis that’s attributable to out-of-control spending, an antiquated pension system, and government corruption. (2007)

Winters voted to allow the Mayor of Chicago to DOUBLE the telephone tax.

SB0837 would give Mayor Richard Daley the ability to raise the telephone tax from $1.25 to $2.50 per month for all customers. (2007)

Winters voted against electric rate relief.

In January 2007, a 10-year electric rate-freeze expired, exposing thousands of Illinois residents to huge increases in their electric bills. SB1592 provided $1 billion in rate relief to Illinois consumers. More importantly, the law establishes an independent Illinois Power Agency that will be responsible for planning and purchasing electricity at the lowest possible price for consumers. (2007)

Winters voted to allow non-Home Rule sales tax increases to double.

According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, SB0272 allows non-Home Rule municipalities to increase their sales tax 100%. Governor Blagojevich rightly vetoed the bill, but his veto was overridden. (2005)

Winters voted for Governor Blagojevich’s FY2005 Partial Operational Budget totaling $45.5 billion.

SB3340 included substantial increases for healthcare and education but did not address out-of-control spending. According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, after months of debate in the legislature, the FY2005 Capital Budget was passed totaling $9.1 billion. FY2005’s $54.6 billion state budget represented a 4% or $2 billion increase over the FY2004 budget. (2004)

Winters voted for a state income-tax increase that hits Illinois businesses for $29 million.

According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, SB2207 redefines that phrase “business income” in a way that benefits the big-spenders in Springfield. (2004)

Winters voted for a computer software sales-tax hike.

SB2205 raised state sales taxes on computer software by $64 million. (2004)

Winters voted for a $750 million pork spending bill.

SB1239 included $300 million in new pork spending and about $450 million to finish projects started by former Governor George Ryan. $556 million of the pork spending bill was vetoed by Governor Blagojevich. Winters voted to override most of the Governor’s line item vetoes. (2003)

Winters voted to keep the Illinois Death Tax alive.

SB1725 kept the Illinois Estate Tax alive, even as it was being phased out at the federal level. According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, this new death tax will cost Illinois taxpayers as much as $500 million per year by 2010. (2003)

Winters voted with the Democrats to eliminate income tax deductions.

According to the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, SB1634 eliminated income tax deductions pivotal to businesses struggling to continue to operate during hard times. (2003)

Winters voted for 300 tax and fee increases (Governor Blagojevich’s FY2004 $52.6 billion budget).

SB1903 increased state spending by 9% (or $6.5 billion) by the end of fiscal year 2004, and imposed $350 million in tax hikes, mainly on Illinois businesses. According to the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, SB1903 added $2 BILLION to the cost of doing business in Illinois. (2003)

EDUCATION

Winters voted to exempt teachers, principals and school superintendents from FOIA disclosure.

At the urging of the teachers’ unions and just months after approving what was billed as a sweeping reform of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, Winters voted for SB315. The bill exempts from FOIA disclosure of performance evaluations for teachers, principals and school superintendents. Also supporting SB315 was the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 which seeks the same exemption for all public employees who receive performance evaluations. (2010)

Winters listened to the teachers’ unions and voted against a Constitutional Convention.

HB0025 urged the electorate to support the calling of a Constitutional Convention. The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and Winters fear giving taxpayers the opportunity to debate and decide upon school funding reforms in Illinois. Instead, the IEA and Winters want to keep the power in the hands of politicians whose votes can be easily bought and controlled by teachers’ union PAC money. (2007)

Winters voted to prohibit parents’ right to alternative education.

HB0232 prohibits the State Board of Education and school boards from establishing, maintaining, or in any way supporting any virtual schools or virtual classes for elementary or secondary students in this State. (2007)

Winters voted to increase education spending by nearly $600 million.

Winters’ vote for HB3866 proves he is incapable and unwilling to address the public education-spending crisis in Illinois. Instead of leading with bold reforms, Winters follows the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)

Winters voted for a $45 million taxpayer-funded experiment - Universal Preschool.

According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, SB1497 will once again prove that “universal preschool” schemes yield benefits that simply do not justify the costs involved. (2006)

PROTECTING OUR FAMILIES

Winters voted FOR legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Legalization of so-called “medical” marijuana failed in the House – but not for lack of trying by Winters who voted for passage of HB30. (2011)

Winters voted to legalize “medical” marijuana.

Winters was among the six Republican State Representatives who voted with the Democrats for legalizing “medical” marijuana in Illinois (SB1381). (2011)

GAMBLING

Winters voted for the most massive expansion of gambling in Illinois history.

Winters voted for SB744 which allows for five new casinos (including one Chicago-owned casino), slot machines at the state’s horse racing tracks, slot machines at Chicago’s two airports, more gaming positions at existing casinos, and slot machines and year-round racing at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. (2011)

Winters voted to allow video poker at truck stops and VFW halls and to make it more difficult to regulate gaming operators.

Winters voted for HB4927 - a controversial video poker bill that state gambling regulators fear will allow operators of illegal machines to stay in business throughout the state. The bill requires a felony conviction on gambling charges before regulators could deny a license to operate video gambling machines in Illinois. HB4927 further expands gambling by adding truck stops and VFW halls to the list of venues that will be allowed to have on-site video gambling machines that make payouts to patrons. (2010)

Winters voted for a massive expansion of gambling.

Winters voted for HB255 - a massive expansion of gambling in Illinois. HB255 legalizes video gambling for bars and taverns, and permits Internet Lottery on computers and cell phones. Video gambling machines are often called the “crack cocaine” of gambling because of the speed of play and the rapid onset of addiction. (2009)

Winters voted for a massive expansion of gambling in Illinois.

Winters voted for the massive gambling expansion bill - HB 2651. Passage of HB2651 would have meant 3 new casinos, new gambling machines at racetracks, the introduction of electronic poker games, plus many other expansions. The good news is this irresponsible bill failed with 55 State Representatives voting “no” and 47 voting “yes.” A three-fifths majority was required for passage. The bad news is it was a big chunk of the GOP caucus led by House Minority Leader Tom Cross who was on Governor Rod Blagojevich’s side in trying to pass HB 2651. (2008)

Winters voted to subsidize horseracing through riverboat casinos.

HB1918 requires riverboat casinos that have gross receipts of more than $200 million in 2004 to pay 3% of their adjusted gross income to the Horse Racing Trust Fund. (2006)

Winters voted to legalize video gambling in bars across Illinois.

HB1124 would have legalized gambling on video game “contests” of two or more in bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, and other venues. (2007)

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Winters voted for the Illinois DREAM Act.

Winters voted YES and helped pass the Illinois DREAM Act, legislation awarding special rights and benefits to undocumented immigrants in Illinois (SB2185). (2011)

Winters voted to give driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

Under HB1100, anyone would be able to obtain a driver’s license without proof of citizenship and with no Social Security number. They can call it a “driver’s certificate” - they can call it anything. But the fact is HB1100 would allow an illegal immigrant to obtain full driving privileges. That’s a driver’s license pure and simple. (2007)

Winters voted to force state and local governments to recognize “consular identification cards” issued by foreign governments.

SB1623 forces state and local governments to recognize the consular identification cards issued by foreign governments and commonly used by illegal Mexican immigrants. (2005)

Winters voted for in-state tuition for illegal aliens.

HB0060 allows undocumented immigrants to attend state universities at in-state tuition rates. (2003)

REFORM (or the lack thereof)

Winters voted to exempt teachers, principals and school superintendents from FOIA disclosure.

At the urging of the teachers’ unions and just months after approving what was billed as a sweeping reform of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, Winters voted for SB315. The bill exempts from FOIA disclosure of performance evaluations for teachers, principals and school superintendents. Also supporting SB315 was the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 which seeks the same exemption for all public employees who receive performance evaluations. (2010)

Winters voted to water down ethics reform law.

Winters voted to exempt transportation projects from the new ethics law (SB761). Despite the awesome demands of riding around on a High Horse every day since Rod Blagojevich’s arrest lecturing about the need to reform Illinois’ culture of corruption - state lawmakers still somehow found time to gut their own brand new “landmark” ethics reform law. This of course would be the same ethics reform law these same lawmakers hailed as “a big step forward.” (2009)

Winters voted to make it more difficult for write-in candidate to get on the ballot.

SB662 changed the deadline for filing to be a write-in candidate to 61 days before an election. The purpose for this change is purely for incumbent protection. (2007)

Winters did nothing to help cleanse the Illinois Republican Party of the tainted National Committeeman Bob Kjellander.

Bob Kjellander could have been removed and replaced with an honest leader a lot earlier, if only Republican “leaders” like Winters were serious about reform. Winters never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Winters and a tiny handful of other old guard faces refuse to unify on reform that even this simplest of clean-ups remain difficult to accomplish.

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