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"The current governor is not governing,
and he's not making the tough decisions that need to be made," said
Brady, a legislator from Bloomington for more than 12 years.
"Illinois will not survive another four years of neglect and
non-engagement on issues critical to this state. Illinois needs
leadership, and I will provide the leadership that will make
Illinois the number one state in this nation -- in job creation and
job retention, in educating our children, in integrity, in
entrepreneurship, and in promoting the basic values that have made
our families and our state strong.
"We must have a governor who focuses on
job growth, economic development, lower taxes, quality education,
access to health care, medical malpractice reform, investing in
roads and schools -- not on touting populist ideas and then
shrugging them off when they fail," Brady said.
Brady also criticized the current
administration for rewarding campaign contributors with state
contracts, especially those issued without bidding, and called on
the current governor to return those political contributions
received from holders of no-bid contracts.
"The current governor talks a good
game about ethical behavior and ethics reform, but his rhetoric
doesn't match his record," Brady said. "Today I am today calling on
the governor to do the right thing and return those contributions
that came from individuals and companies who now have no-bid
contracts."
For four years, Brady's legislation
would prohibit the state from awarding a no-bid contract to any
contributor to a campaign fund of the officeholder seeking to issue
the contract. In addition, anyone who holds a no-bid contract, as
well as his or her immediate family members and employees, would be
prohibited for a four-year period from making any contribution to
the officeholder responsible for the contract.
[to top of second column in this article]
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 "The taxpayers of Illinois should be
able to trust and respect their government in Springfield," Brady
said. "This tough legislation will help ensure their hard-earned tax
dollars are used for education and other programs that benefit all
Illinois families and not to reward wealthy campaign contributors."
Brady also is the sponsor of
legislation to require that all state general obligation bond sales
be competitively bid.
Brady has spent several months
traveling throughout Illinois talking with voters and party leaders
about the 2006 gubernatorial election.
"I'm extremely encouraged by the
response," Brady said. "Everywhere I go, I hear that my views for a
stronger economy, a better job market, a responsible and ethical
government, better education, and low taxes mirror the concerns of
the people. I will continue to talk with people throughout the state
over the next several months as I assess how to best accomplish my
vision of making Illinois number one."
Brady has served in the Illinois
Senate since 2002 and previously served in the Illinois House of
Representatives from 1993 to 2001. He currently is the ranking
Republican on the Senate Insurance Committee, the Republican leader
on the Senate Pensions and Investments Committee, and a member of
the Senate Revenue Committee.
A lifelong resident of Bloomington,
Brady and his brothers have owned and operated successful real
estate marketing and development, home construction, property
management, mortgage, insurance, hospitality, and broadcasting
businesses in central Illinois for more than 25 years.
Brady graduated from Central
Catholic High School and Illinois Wesleyan University, both in
Bloomington. He and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 22 years
and have three children.
[News release from
Citizens for Bill
Brady]
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