Years served: 1990-1993 (House); 1993-Present (Senate)
Committee assignments: Committee of the Whole; Higher Education (Minority Spokesperson); Education; Executive; Insurance; Local Government; Redistricting; Subcommittee on Ethics; Subcommittee on State & Local Govt.; Executive Subcommittee on Education; Subcommittee on Program Expansions (Sub-Minority Spokesperson); Subcommittee on Mandates.
TAXES AND SPENDING
Burzynski did not vote against the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.
Burzynski was present when the vote was taken but chose not to cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. Republicans who voted for HB3866 demonstrated 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)
Burzynski did not vote against allowing the Mayor of Chicago to DOUBLE the telephone tax.
Burzynski was present when the vote was taken but chose not to cast a 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)
Burzynski 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)
Burzynski 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)
Burzynski 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)
Burzynski 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)
Burzynski voted for a computer software sales-tax hike.
SB2205 raised state sales taxes on computer software by $64 million. (2004)
EDUCATION
Burzynski did not vote against increasing education spending by nearly $600 million.
Burzynski was present when the vote was taken but chose not to cast a vote for or against. Burzynski’s refusal to take a principled stand on HB3866 proves he is incapable and unwilling to address the public education-spending crisis in Illinois. Instead of leading with bold reforms, Burzynski follows the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)
GAMBLING
Burzynski 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)
Burzynski 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
Burzynski 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)
Burzynski voted to water down ethics reform law.
Burzynski 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)
Burzynski did not vote against making it more difficult for write-in candidate to get on the ballot.
Burzynski was present when the vote was taken but chose not to cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. 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)
Burzynski 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 Burzynski were serious about reform. Burzynski never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Burzynski 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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