Q&A with Murphy

1. Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what? What will be your main priority?

I am running for re-election for the State Senate because we have not yet fixed Illinois' broken government and won back the respect of the people of the state. I am also seeking reelection because our state and local economy; which should be dominating, is not performing adequately. The people in our state face an unemployment rate that is 28% higher than the national average. Structural reform of Springfield and economic opportunity are what motivate me and are my priorities.

2. For incumbents and non-incumbents. If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.

I have led the effort at the state level to repeal the new Cook County sales tax increase. I recently filed Senate Bill 3056, which would repeal the sales tax increase and make any future tax increases subject to voter approval at a referendum. If Cook County wants to more than double sales taxes on the people of the county, and drive businesses on the border of the county to neighboring communities, the people of the county should have a say in that process. I have also worked to reform the "back room politics" state of mind in Springfield. There is too much power in too few hands. That is why I initiated legislation to put term limits on elected officials so that future leaders do not become life-long power brokers. I also co-sponsored sweeping ethics reforms that would remove some of the money and favors from policy decisions in Springfield, in an effort to end Governor Blagojevich's pay-to-play politics. Lastly, I have focused on reducing domestic violence as a chair of the NWADV. We have pushed a men's initiatives to raise awareness. I passed legislation to make those who murder someone they previously domestically abused eligible for the death penalty. I was also proud to be a co-sponsor of the Cindy Bischof legislation.

3. Under what circumstances, if any, would you support raising the state income or sales tax? Please explain.

None. We cannot tax our way to prosperity. We need to grow our economy to prosperity. Illinois is 45th in job growth in the last 6 years, which is far behind all of our neighboring states. Our unemployment rate is 28% higher than the national average. In this competitive global economy, raising taxes will make it harder for Illinois to attract new businesses and the jobs we need to grow. I believe that tax increases will ultimately hurt our bottom line. The risk of raising taxes seems particularly unwise, especially in light of the fact Illinois took in more revenue last year than in any previous year. The Governor, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate have turned state government into an unrecognizable mess. They have mortgaged state assets to pay for one-time fixes and increased their salaries. They operate the state the same way that Todd Stroger has operated Cook County - poorly. Tax increases would be harmful. A reprioritization of our state spending is what is needed.

4. Do you support the expansion of gambling by adding slot machines at racetracks? Do you favor licensing and building new casinos? Please explain.

I oppose the permanent expansion of gambling in Illinois. By relying on gambling, we are essentially preying on those who can least afford to lose their money so that lawmakers can avoid making the types of sound economic decisions necessary to provide a stable state economy capable of adequately meeting our funding obligations. My first priority would be to meet our financial obligations by implementing policies that would grow our economy. My preference would be to not expand gambling at all. However, the governor has spent us into billions of dollars of future debt by ignoring pension obligations and adding to our bonded debt. Given this financial situation, I could support a limited, temporary, expansion of gambling that focuses on attracting patrons with the means to gamble, particularly out of town visitors.

5. Would you support giving voters the ability to recall elected officials?

Yes, I co-sponsored Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 70. That legislation would have given the people of the state the opportunity to recall state executive branch officers, members of the General Assembly, Supreme Court Judges, Appellate Court Judges, Circuit Court Judges, and elected salaried officers of units of local government. We have had two consecutive governors, one from each party that operated in a way that raised serious ethical questions. The faith of the people of the state has been shaken by the actions of the governors. We need a process to remove such officials during the course of their term so that if another official refuses to act in the best interest of the state, they can be removed from office and the business of the state can progress. Any constitutional amendment to permit recall should be crafted in a manner that would not permit political retribution or other petty issues to lead to an official being recalled. The proposal must be carefully formed to prevent abuse of the recall provisions.

6. Did you support the suburban tax increases that were used to keep the public transportation trains and buses running without cuts or fare increases?

I did not vote for House Bill 656 and the tax increases that were included in the bill. I ride Metra regularly. I appreciate the importance of the service and the need to adequately fund it. Mass transit agencies should receive adequate funding. However, I believed at the time this bill came before the Senate that mass transit agencies, particularly the CTA, should wisely spend the taxpayer funds they already receive prior to giving them any more revenue. I felt that the state missed an opportunity to impose much needed fiscal discipline on the CTA through reforms.

7. If you are elected, will you vote for the current party leader of your legislative chamber? Why or why not?

I will once again vote for Senator Frank Watson for Senate President because he holds the same beliefs and values about the role of state government as I do. I was also proud of his efforts at "shuttle diplomacy" between Governor Blagojevich and Speaker Madigan in an attempt to achieve results.

8. What do you think of the idea, widely circulated, of impeaching Gov. Blagojevich?

I believe that the House of Representatives should start impeachment proceedings immediately. A Federal jury convicted Tony Rezko based in part on testimony that the Governor traded jobs and contracts for campaign contributions. The House needs to begin hearings to determine whether or not the governor should be charged with an impeachable offense.