Years served: 2003 - Present
Committee assignments: Committee of the Whole; Energy (Minority Spokesperson); Environment (Minority Spokesperson); Gaming; Human Services; Transportation; Insurance; Trans. Subcommittee on Amendments (Sub-Minority Spokesperson); Subcommittee Medicaid & Provider Rate Ref; Subcommittee on Readiness.
TAXES AND SPENDING
Risinger voted to raise sales taxes and fees.
Risinger 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)
Risinger did not vote against Governor Blagojevich’s handout scheme that provides free public transportation to all senior citizens, even the wealthy.
Risinger was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. HB0656 concurred with the Governor’s amendment to provide free public transportation to senior citizens aged 65 and older. (2008)
Risinger voted for the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.
Risinger’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)
Risinger sponsored legislation 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)
Risinger 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)
Risinger voted for a computer software sales-tax hike.
SB2205 raised state sales taxes on computer software by $64 million. (2004)
Risinger did not vote against Governor Blagojevich’s $10 BILLION bond deal.
Risinger 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. Risinger 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
Risinger 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, Risinger 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)
Risinger voted to increase education spending by nearly $600 million.
Risinger’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, Risinger follows the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)
Risinger 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
Risinger helped the Democrats massively expand gambling - AGAIN
Risinger voted for SB737 which creates five new casinos – plus transforms six horse tracks into full-fledged casinos by authorizing slots and video gambling. (2010)
Risinger voted to allow video poker at truck stops and VFW halls and to make it more difficult to regulate gaming operators.
Risinger 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)
Risinger voted to allow video poker at OTB locations.
Risinger voted for SB744 allowing restaurants and bars attached to off-track betting locations to have video gambling machines. (2010)
Risinger voted for a massive expansion of gambling.
Risinger 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)
Risinger 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)
Risinger 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
Risinger did not vote against making it more difficult to enforce the nation’s immigration laws.
Risinger 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)
Risinger 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)
Risinger 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, Risinger 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)
Risinger voted to water down ethics reform law.
Risinger 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)
Risinger did not vote against making more difficult for write-in candidate to get on the ballot.
Risinger was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not 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)
Risinger desperately opposes a common sense reform that would once again allow ALL Republicans to directly elect the senior leadership of their own Illinois Republican Party.
Risinger continues to keep rank-and-file Republicans from having the same voice all Illinois Democrats enjoy in their State Party. Risinger opposes SB600 – returning to the better system of direct election Illinois Republicans used until the late 1980’s. Illinois has been a “Blue State” ever since the change to the easily corruptible system Risinger dishonestly still protects.
Risinger 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 Risinger were serious about reform. Risinger never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Risinger 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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