Years served: 1993 - Present
Committee assignments: Committee of the Whole; Assignments; Judiciary (Minority Spokesperson); Criminal Law; Energy; Gaming; Licensed Activities; Criminal Law Subcommittee Const. Review; Subcommittee on Amendments; Subcommittee on Civil Process & Procedure; Subcommittee on Property & Environment; Joint Committee on MPEA; Redistricting.
TAXES AND SPENDING
Dillard voted for a huge electric rate increase.
Dillard helped pass SB1652 – a huge electric rate increase sought by ComEd and Ameren. (2011)
Dillard voted to raise sales taxes and fees.
Dillard 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)
Dillard helped pass Governor Blagojevich’s handout scheme that provides free public transportation to all senior citizens, even the wealthy.
HB0656 concurred with the Governor’s amendment to provide free public transportation to senior citizens aged 65 and older. (2008)
Dillard voted for Governor Blagojevich’s Transportation Act.
HB0656 amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act by increasing the rate of taxes the Authority is allowed to impose. (2008)
Dillard voted for the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.
Dillard’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)
Dillard did not vote against allowing the Mayor of Chicago to DOUBLE the telephone tax.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not 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)
Dillard did not vote against Governor Blagojevich’s ALL KIDS universal health insurance plan.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but voted “present” refusing to take a principled stand. Critics of HB0806, a bill that would cost $45 million in its first year alone, said they feared that such a sweeping offer could end up costing far more at a time when the state’s budget is already strained. The program can also be expected to turn Illinois into a magnet for families from other states desperate to insure their children. (2005)
Dillard voted to increase the real estate transfer tax by $30 million.
SB0075 increased the cost of selling a house in Illinois by adding a $10 tax to closing fees. (2005)
Dillard 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)
Dillard 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)
Dillard did not vote against a state income-tax increase that hits Illinois businesses for $29 million.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but voted “present” refusing to take a principled stand. According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, SB2207 redefines that phrase “business income” in a way that benefits the big-spenders in Springfield. (2004)
Dillard voted for a computer software sales-tax hike.
SB2205 raised state sales taxes on computer software by $64 million. (2004)
Dillard did not vote against a $750 million pork spending bill.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. 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. Dillard voted to override most of the Governor’s line item vetoes. (2003)
Dillard did not vote against a property tax hike to increase patronage employees’ pay.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but voted “present” refusing to take a principled stand. SB1881 will cost taxpayers $31 million per year. Governor Blagojevich vetoed SB1881. Both Houses overrode the veto. (2003)
Dillard voted for Governor Blagojevich’s $10 BILLION bond deal.
Dillard voted to nearly double the state’s indebtedness with the largest bond issuance in Illinois history, by far. Dillard’s vote for 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
Dillard did not vote against exempting teachers, principals and school superintendents from FOIA disclosure.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote on SB315 was taken, but did not vote for or against the bill - refusing to take a principled stand. 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, SB315 exempts from FOIA disclosure of performance evaluations for teachers, principals and school superintendents. Also supporting the bill 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)
Dillard voted to increase education spending by nearly $600 million.
Dillard’s vote for HB3866 proves he is incapable and unwilling to address the public education-spending crisis in Illinois. Instead of leading with bold reforms, Dillard follows the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)
Dillard did not vote against a $45 million taxpayer-funded experiment - Universal Preschool.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. 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)
STEM CELL RESEARCH
Dillard voted for taxpayer funded embryonic stem cell research.
SB0004 was signed into law at the end of August 2007, capping off a long effort to proceed with all forms of stem cell research, including human embryonic. SB0004 became effective January 1, 2008. (2007)
GAMBLING
Dillard voted for the most massive expansion of gambling in Illinois history.
Dillard 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)
Dillard helped the Democrats massively expand gambling - AGAIN
Dillard voted for SB737 which creates five new casinos – plus transforms six horse tracks into full-fledged casinos by authorizing slots and video gambling. (2010)
Dillard voted for a massive expansion of gambling.
Dillard 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)
Dillard did not vote against subsidize horseracing through riverboat casinos.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. 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)
Dillard 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
Dillard did not vote against allowing alcohol to be sold near schools.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. SB2445 removed the restriction that had prohibited alcohol sales within 100 feet of a school entrance. (2006)
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Dillard voted for the Illinois DREAM Act.
Dillard voted YES and helped pass the Illinois DREAM Act, legislation awarding special rights and benefits to undocumented immigrants in Illinois (SB2185). (2011)
Dillard did not vote against making it more difficult to enforce the nation’s immigration laws.
Dillard 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)
Dillard 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)
Dillard did not vote against in-state tuition for illegal aliens.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote was taken but voted “present” refusing to take a principled stand. HB0060 allows undocumented immigrants to attend state universities at in-state tuition rates. (2003)
REFORM (or the lack thereof)
Dillard did not vote against exempting teachers, principals and school superintendents from FOIA disclosure.
Dillard was in attendance when the vote on SB315 was taken, but did not vote for or against the bill - refusing to take a principled stand. 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, SB315 exempts from FOIA disclosure of performance evaluations for teachers, principals and school superintendents. Also supporting the bill 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)
Dillard voted to water down ethics reform law.
Dillardf 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)
Dillard 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)
Dillard 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 Dillard were serious about reform. Dillard never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Dillard 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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