Sen. Brady's --

'Week in Review,' 44th District    Send a link to a friend

Jan. 10-14

[JAN. 15, 2005]  SPRINGFIELD -- Sparks flew at the close of the 93rd General Assembly as Senate Republicans opposed a real estate tax hike and a power grab for judicial seats in suburban counties. After two days of controversy, the 94th General Assembly began in much the same way, as Senate Democrats rammed through controversial new Senate rules changes that will cost taxpayers money and limit access to public debate, according to state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington.

On Jan. 10, Senate Democrats passed House Bill 626, increasing real estate taxes by $34 million. The bill imposes an initial $10 tax on every real estate-related document submitted to county recorders. The fees would then be deposited into a Rental Housing Support Program to help landlords better provide affordable housing to low-income tenants.

Senate Republicans said the intentions of the program are good, but even supporters of the legislation admit the $10 tax will not be sufficient to adequately fund the program in the future. Also, a disproportionate amount of funds from this tax will go to landlords in Chicago. In addition, Senate Republicans noted there were no provisions in the bill to prevent the governor from taking the money from the new tax for other programs -- something the governor has a history of doing.

Senate Democrats also pushed through House Bill 949, which restructures judicial boundaries, primarily in suburban counties. Senate Republicans balked at this not-so-veiled partisan maneuver because of the manner in which the bill was passed. Republicans did not see a first draft of the bill until Jan. 10, the day it was intended to be called, and the exact language for the new judicial "subcircuit" boundaries was not available until that afternoon. Senate Republicans said such a significant change in public policy deserved more time and consideration.

The intended purpose of the bill is to help bring more minorities into the judiciary, yet leading Hispanic members of the Senate were not informed about the contents of the bill until the very last minute, nor were they consulted for their input. In fact, many prominent minority advocacy groups throughout the state were unaware of this legislation. In light of these inconsistencies, Senate Republicans argued the bill should be considered in the upcoming spring session, but the Senate Democrats pushed it through anyway.

94th General Assembly convenes

On Jan. 12, the 94th General Assembly officially got under way. Opening-day activities were interrupted when fire alarms sounded in the Capitol and the building was evacuated. Once the false alarm was identified, the Senate went back to work.

During the inaugural ceremonies in the Senate Chambers, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Freeman administered the oath of office to the senators. Brady was sworn in as the state senator for the 44th District.

"I was proud to support Senator Frank Watson of Greenville, who was unanimously re-elected as Senate Republican leader," Brady said. "Our caucus now has 27 legislators who will continue to fight for issues important to Illinois citizens, including medical malpractice reform, economic development and education."

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Rule changes limit public access

The will of Senate Democrats prevailed as dramatic changes to the Senate's rules were adopted.

In a move that will cost taxpayers more money, the number of Senate committees was expanded from 17 to 22, which means 10 new committee leaders who will all receive stipends for their work on the committees. The total cost of the new committees will be about $100,000 a year.

In a procedural change, the rules now require only one-hour notice for review of conference committee reports, instead of the 24 hours previously required. This change will give lawmakers very little time to review the reports and will limit public input on important issues.

Other rule changes allow for temporary replacement of committee members, which gives legislative leaders the ability to shield potential political targets from controversial votes. The changes also allow fluid deadlines on legislation and make it easier for legislation to move through the process without public hearings.

While recognizing that change is inevitable as a new legislative session convenes, Senate Republicans argued vehemently against the changes that will limit public access to the lawmaking process, saying that the legislative process should include more -- not less -- debate.

DNR budget cuts hurt parks

Finally, Senate Republicans met with Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Brunsvold to discuss alarming budget cuts at that agency. The department has taken a $23 million hit in the last year, which represents more than a 10 percent cut. In terms of dollars, funding for the Department of Natural Resources decreased from $210 million to $188 million last year. In the last two years, the department budget has been cut about $40 million, with a loss of about 600 employees, from 2,300 to 1,700.

The budget cuts are raising concerns about the ability of the department to adequately maintain conservation efforts and other tasks. Senators voiced their concerns that Illinois' parks and natural areas are suffering as a result of the cuts.

"Clinton Lake is a major draw to the region's tourism industry, so it is foolish to cut funding for employees and programs," Brady said. "I also have serious questions about safety issues related to the reduction of security personnel at Clinton Lake, which surrounds a nuclear power plant."

He said he would continue to do what he could to lessen the effect of the budget cuts on the state's natural areas, tourism and outdoor recreation.

Senate Republicans believe the state should honor current financial obligations such as state parks before spending money on new programs.

[Illinois Senate Republican Caucus news release]

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