Years served: 1999 - Present
Committee assignments: Transportation, Regulation, Roads; Health Care Availability Access; Adoption Reform (Republican Spokesperson); International Trade & Commerce (Republican Spokesperson); Trans. Regulation Accountability.
TAXES AND SPENDING
Sommer was absent when the vote was taken against the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.
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)
Sommer was absent for the vote 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)
Sommer 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)
Sommer 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)
Sommer voted for a computer software sales-tax hike.
SB2205 raised state sales taxes on computer software by $64 million. (2004)
EDUCATION
Sommer 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, Sommer 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)
Sommer listened to the teachers’ unions and voted against a Constitutional Convention.
HB0025 urged the electorate to support the calling of a Constitutional Convention. The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and Sommer fear giving taxpayers the opportunity to debate and decide upon school funding reforms in Illinois. Instead, the IEA and Sommer want to keep the power in the hands of politicians whose votes can be easily bought and controlled by teachers’ union PAC money. (2007)
Sommer voted to prohibit parents’ right to alternative education.
HB0232 prohibits the State Board of Education and school boards from establishing, maintaining, or in any way supporting any virtual schools or virtual classes for elementary or secondary students in this State. (2007)
Sommer was absent for the vote to increase education spending by nearly $600 million.
Republicans who voted for HB3866 proves they are incapable and unwilling to address the public education-spending crisis in Illinois. Instead of leading with bold reforms, Republicans often follow the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)
Sommer was absent for the vote 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
Sommer was absent for the vote 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)
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Sommer was absent for the vote to make it more difficult to enforce the nation’s immigration laws.
HB1744 amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act to prohibit employers from enrolling in any Employment Eligibility Verification System. (2007)
Sommer 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)
Sommer 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)
Sommer 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, Sommer 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)
Sommer was absent for the vote 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)
Sommer 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.
Sommer continues to keep rank-and-file Republicans from having the same voice all Illinois Democrats enjoy in their State Party. Sommer 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 Sommer dishonestly still protects.
Sommer 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 Sommer were serious about reform. Sommer never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Sommer 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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