Years served: 1998-2002 (House); appointed January 2003 (Senate)
Committee assignments: Committee of the Whole; Assignments (Minority Spokesperson); Elections (Minority Spokesperson); Executive (Minority Spokesperson); Criminal Law; Judiciary; Telecommunications & Technology; Subcommittee on Const. Amendments; Subcommittee on Ethics; Subcommittee on Election Reform; Crim. Law Subcom Enhance/Redundancy; Executive Subcommittee on Revenue (Sub-Minority Spokesperson); Subcommittee Legis.Tuition Waivers; Redistricting (Minority Spokesperson).
TAXES AND SPENDING
Righter voted for a huge electric rate increase.
Righter helped pass SB1652 – a huge electric rate increase sought by ComEd and Ameren. (2011)
Righter voted for the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.
Righter’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)
Righter did not vote against allowing the Mayor of Chicago to DOUBLE the telephone tax.
Righter 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)
Righter 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)
Righter 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)
Righter 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)
Righter 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)
Righter did not vote against a computer software sales-tax hike.
Righter was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. SB2205 raised state sales taxes on computer software by $64 million. (2004)
Righter did not vote against a $750 million pork spending bill.
Righter 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. Righter voted to override most of the Governor’s line item vetoes. (2003)
EDUCATION
Righter voted to increase education spending by nearly $600 million.
Righter’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, Righter follows the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)
Righter 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
Righter voted to allow video poker at truck stops and VFW halls and to make it more difficult to regulate gaming operators.
Righter 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)
Righter voted to allow video poker at OTB locations.
Righter voted for SB744 allowing restaurants and bars attached to off-track betting locations to have video gambling machines. (2010)
Righter 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)
Righter 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
Righter 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)
Righter did not vote for establishing a commission to work towards reducing the size of government.
Righter was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. HB268 establishes a commission of legislative members appointed by the legislative leaders and local government representatives appointed by the Governor to report to the General Assembly on consolidating local governments. (2011)
Righter voted against reducing the size and cost of government.
Righter 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)
SB35 / SB600
Righter voted against SB600 on April 2, 2009 on the floor of the Senate. Fortunately the reform bill still passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 44 to 13. UPDATE: On April 8, 2011, Righter did the right thing and voted “yes” on the same bill (now known as SB35). Righter now joined a unanimous Senate in passing SB35. (2011)
Righter voted to water down ethics reform law.
Righter 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)
Righter 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)
Righter 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 Righter were serious about reform. Righter never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Righter 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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