In April Governor Pat Quinn's Illinois Reform Commission, headed by former prosecutor Patrick Collins, released its report on what needs to be done to clean up corruption. I commend the commission for its work and have sponsored legislation that proposes term limits for legislative leaders, depoliticizing the redistricting process, limiting the power of the entrenched leaders in Springfield, moving the primary elections to June and most importantly, enacting greater transparency in government.
Term limits are needed now and that's why I have proposed a 10-year cap on service for legislative leadership posts. There is too much power in too few hands and entrenched leaders use their power to block legislation even when a clear majority is in favor of the bill. For example, the previous Senate President blocked a vote on a bill to curtail pay-to-play politics even though it was sponsored by 47 of 59 senators. That's not democracy.
I propose depoliticizing redistricting. After the 2010 census, Illinois will redraw legislative districts. The Collins commission and I support legislation requiring new district boundaries be drawn by computers, not by party leaders. Voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around.
We need to change the February primary election to June. Elections are too long and too expensive. February primary elections, for which the leaders pushed, protect incumbents and stifle true political competition. The reform commission also saw the need for greater transparency. I filed legislation to require all expenditures of state tax dollars be posted online. Further, these laws would ban legislators who give an earmark from receiving a donation from the earmark recipient for five years.
The time to clean up state government is now.
--Matt Murphy
State Senator
27th District
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