The Record

As an Illinois Senator, Matt Murphy has been a champion for reform and jobs, fighting to make our state one we can be proud of once again. Matt has led:

On Jobs:

Matt Murphy has been the leading advocate for businesses in Illinois, earning the Chamber of Commerce's Friend of Business Award. A vocal opponent of Governor Quinn's job-killing tax increase, Murphy was the only Illinois Senator to author legislation to cut Individual and Corporate Income taxes to create jobs and put people back to work. He also submitted legislation to increase the Research and Development Tax Credit 23%, and cosponsored increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit 100%.

Matt Murphy has never voted for a tax increase. He has fought to make it harder for tax-and-spenders to hike taxes, submitting a bill requiring a two-thirds majority for any tax increase and several measures limiting the amount of taxes that can be proposed by local governments. He also cosponsored a bill requiring the RTA to hold public hearings in each region before hiking fares and a resolution against the Gross Receipts Tax.

Matt Murphy has championed responsible spending. He Co-Chaired the Senate Deficit Reduction Committee which identified more than $3 billion in savings for taxpayers. He authored legislation to require zero-based budgeting to eliminate waste in the budget, and pushed the elimination of the Comptroller Office to save the taxpayers money. He cosponsored a measure to fix the Illinois pension system by putting future employees on a self-managed plan. He also pushed a bill requiring the Governor to project revenues and expenditures for 5 years to promote budget stability and create a more attractive environment for job creators.

On Reform:

Matt Murphy authored several key pieces of legislation that are now found in the Collins Report, including:

Instituting term limits for General Assembly Leaders to limit the power held by a few individuals
Reforming the redistricting process to put voters in charge of choosing their representation
Requiring a vote on legislation that has a majority of sponsors/co-sponsors so leaders cannot hold up important bills.

Matt Murphy was the Republicans' lead critic of former Governor Blagojevich. During the Blagojevich/Burris scandal over President Obama's former Senate seat, Murphy led the charge to hold a special election to choose a replacement, allowing voters to choose their US Senator rather than the Governor. He also authored legislation to allow voters to choose their Auditor General rather than the Governor and to ensure primary voters choose their candidates rather than party bigwigs. In addition he cosponsored a bill giving voters the ability to recall Illinois elected officials.

As a Cook County Republican, Matt Murphy has stood strong on the front lines against Tood Stroger and corrupt Chicago Democrats. A vocal opponent of the Stroger Sales Tax, Murphy created and pushed legislation allowing suburban townships to secede from Cook County. He also fought to increase the number of Commissioners on the Cook County Board of Review from 3 to 5, giving suburban areas representation.

Finally, Matt Murphy cosponsored several important reform bills:

Creating the Illinois Accountability Portal, a public database of all state contracts
Creating a searchable database with information on each entity that receives Illinois funding
Requiring the State Treasurer to post information online about investments of public funds
Prohibiting campaign contributions from businesses with state contracts
Prohibiting gubernatorial appointees from holding two or more appointments simultaneously and from making campaign contributions to elected officials and candidates
Regulating the awarding of no-bid contracts

On Tort Reform:

Matt Murphy has been a leader on Tort Reform his entire career, voting in favor of tort reform more than any other member of the Illinois Senate. His work earned him the Friend of Fairness Award from the Illinois Civil Justice League, and the thanks of its President, Ed Murnane.

On Veterans and Seniors:

Matt Murphy has advocated on behalf of Illinois seniors and veterans, working to reform the Illinois healthcare system to ensure they are properly cared for. Murphy authored legislation creating the Veterans' Homestead Exemption, which allows veterans returning from conflict to exempt their property value from that year's taxes, and to give the same benefit to the veteran's spouse in the event of their passing. He also cosponsored a bill granting senior citizens and those with disabilities an assessment freeze homestead exemption.

On Families:

Matt Murphy has advocated on behalf of Illinois families throughout his career, fighting to keep our children safe and our families secure. He authored legislation to strengthen the Statewide Organized Gang Database, and pushed the elimination of the good conduct credit for armed habitual criminals. He cosponsored a measure to increase the fine for domestic battery, with the revenues going into the Domestic Violence Shelter and Service Fund. He has also pushed numerous measures to keep Illinois children safe from online predators.

Matt Murphy cosponsored a measure promoting adoption by giving adopting parents a state income tax credit equal to the amount spent on the adoption. He also cosponsored the creation of the Illinois Latino Family Commission.

On Education:

Matt Murphy has worked to ensure all of Illinois' children receive a proper education. Murphy cosponsored legislation reforming the way education is funded in Illinois and making compensation based on performance rather than tenure. He has fought for an increase in the number of charter schools and an elimination of unfunded mandates.

Murphy also cosponsored legislation replacing the state tax on higher education textbooks with a tax credit, doubling the education expense credit, and providing teachers a credit to cover expenses. He also pushed legislation with incentives for employers to match employee contributions to prepaid college savings programs.