Years served: Appointed 2003, Elected 2004 - Present
Committee assignments: Committee of the Whole; Appropriations II (Minority Spokesperson); Licensed Activities (Minority Spokesperson); Appropriations I; Higher Education; Local Government; Labor; Deficit Reduction; Subcomm.Adv.PracticeNurse’s License; Subcommittee on Procedures; Subcommittee on Special Issues.
TAXES AND SPENDING
Althoff voted for a huge electric rate increase.
Althoff helped pass SB1652 – a huge electric rate increase sought by ComEd and Ameren. (2011)
Althoff voted to raise sales taxes and fees.
Althoff 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)
Althoff voted for the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.
Althoff’s 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)
Althoff did not vote against allowing the Mayor of Chicago to DOUBLE the telephone tax.
Althoff was in attendance when the vote was taken but chose not to vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. 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)
Althoff 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)
Althoff 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)
Althoff voted against reducing the taxpayers’ burden to the state pension fund by $1.1 BILLION.
According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, SB0027 limited end-of-career salary hikes for government school teachers and other government employees to 6% instead of the usual 20%. Such a reform would reduce state taxpayers’ contribution to state retirement funds by over $1.1 billion yearly. (2005)
Althoff 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)
Althoff 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)
Althoff voted for a computer software sales-tax hike.
SB2205 raised state sales taxes on computer software by $64 million. (2004)
Althoff 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. Althoff voted to override most of the Governor’s line item vetoes. (2003)
Althoff did not vote against Governor Blagojevich’s $10 BILLION bond deal.
Althoff was in attendance when the vote was taken to nearly double the state’s indebtedness with the largest bond issuance in Illinois history, by far. Althoff voted “present” refusing to take a principled stand. HB2660 also helped net controversial Republican National Committeeman Bob Kjellander $809,000 in “finder’s” fees. Kjellander is a key figure in an ongoing probe of corruption in Illinois. (2003)
EDUCATION
Althoff 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, Althoff 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)
Althoff voted to increase education spending by nearly $600 million.
Althoff’s vote for HB3866 proves she is incapable and unwilling to address the public education-spending crisis in Illinois. Instead of leading with bold reforms, Althoff follows the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)
Althoff 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)
GAMBLING
Althoff voted to allow video poker at truck stops and VFW halls and to make it more difficult to regulate gaming operators.
Althoff 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)
Althoff voted to allow video poker at OTB locations.
Althoff voted for SB744 allowing restaurants and bars attached to off-track betting locations to have video gambling machines. (2010)
Althoff voted for a massive expansion of gambling.
Althoff 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)
Althoff 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)
Althoff 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)
PROTECTING OUR FAMILIES
Althoff voted to abolish the death penalty in Illinois.
Althoff was among the four Republican State Senators who voted with the Democrats to abolish the death penalty in Illinois (SB3539). (2011)
Althoff voted to allow alcohol to be sold near schools.
SB2445 removed the restriction that had prohibited alcohol sales within 100 feet of a school entrance. (2006)
GAY RIGHTS
Althoff voted to add sexual “orientation” to the Illinois Human Rights Act.
HB3186 amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to add sexual orientation to the list of other protected classes already covered by the act (like race, gender and religion). The intent of this “gay rights” bill, as stated by its sponsor, is to force public acceptance of sexual behavior irrespective of those who morally or conscientiously object to the homosexual lifestyle. (2005)
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Althoff voted for the Illinois DREAM Act.
Althoff voted YES and helped pass the Illinois DREAM Act, legislation awarding special rights and benefits to undocumented immigrants in Illinois (SB2185). (2011)
Althoff did not vote against making it more difficult to enforce the nation’s immigration laws.
Althoff was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. HB1744 amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act to prohibit employers from enrolling in any Employment Eligibility Verification System. (2007)
Althoff 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)
Althoff voted for in-state tuition for illegal aliens.
HB0060 allows undocumented immigrants to attend state universities at in-state tuition rates. (2003)
REFORM (or lack thereof)
Althoff voted against reducing the size and cost of government.
Althoff voted against SB173 - a bill that would have reduced the size and cost of government through consolidation or elimination of unnecessary units of local government. Illinois now has almost 7,000 taxing districts – far exceeding the number of any other state. Republican lawmakers had an incredible opportunity to strike a blow for limited government, but instead they chose big government over reform. (2011)
Althoff 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, Althoff 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)
Althoff voted to water down ethics reform law.
Althoff 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)
Althoff 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)
Althoff 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 Althoff were serious about reform. Althoff never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Althoff 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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