Dan Rutherford
State Senator
Chairman, CLA

Tax Increases - House Bill 174

Senate Amendment 2

At the end of the Spring Legislative Session the Illinois Senate passed the largest Income Tax increase in the history of the state and created a first time tax on services. The YES votes came from all Democrats. The bill now awaits action by the House of Representatives. Details are:

•    Personal Income Tax goes from 3 to 5%, a 67% increase

•    Corporate Income Tax goes from 4.8 to 5%

•    Taxes 100's of services for the first time 

The State Senate vote in favor of the Income Tax increase pales in comparison to what else was in the bill: a new tax on SERVICES!

To see a complete list of the Services that would be taxed go to: 'New Tax on Services.'

This is a list of the 39 new Service Categories, which hundreds of services are contained and could be taxed:

(1) Other warehousing and storage (household and specialty goods)
(2) Travel agent services
(3) Carpet and upholstery cleaning services
(4) Dating services
(5) Dry cleaning and laundry, except coin-operated
(6) Consumer goods rental
(7) Health clubs, tanning parlors, reducing salons
(8) Linen supply
(9) Interior design services
(10) Other business services, including copy shops
(11) Bowling Centers
(12) Coin operated video games and pinball machines
(13) Membership fees in private clubs
(14) Admission to spectator sports (excluding horse tracks)
(15) Admission to cultural events
(16) Billiard Parlors
(17) Scenic and sightseeing transportation
(18) Taxi and Limousine services
(19) Unscheduled chartered passenger air transportation
(20) Motion picture theaters, except drive-in theaters
(21) Pet grooming
(22) Landscaping services (including lawn care)
(23) Income from intrastate transportation of persons
(24) Mini-storage
(25) Household goods storage
(26) Cold storage
(27) Marina Service (docking, storage, cleaning, repair)
(28) Marine towing service (including tugboats)
(29) Gift and package wrapping service
(30) Laundry and dry cleaning services, coin-operated
(31) Other services to buildings and dwellings
(32) Water softening and conditioning
(33) Internet Service Providers
(34) Short term auto rental
(35) Information Services
(36) Amusement park admission and rides
(37) Circuses and fairs -- admission and games
(38) Cable and other program distribution
(39) Rental of video tapes for home viewing

Click Here to print a copy of the Petition to

Help Stop the New Service Tax

The new service tax would be on services such as cable TV, dry cleaning, bowling, internet service providers and diaper service. It would take billions of dollars out of the wallets and purses of Illinoisans and cause thousands of businesses to start collecting and remitting this new tax to the state.

The Senate has passed the Legislation, but it has not yet been voted on in the House of Representatives. CLA is focusing its efforts to stop the legislation in the House.

CLA is collecting signatures in opposition to the new service tax. When CLA gets the information back, they will see that those who signed in opposition are updated when action is needed and what they can do to help.

Will you help get signatures? You may print a petition to circulate. Please return the petitions as soon as possible so we may be in touch with the signors. It is imperative the signor print the contact information so it is legible.

 

Click here to register your opinion on

Tax Increases!

 

 

 

Finding ways to get more money out of the wallets and purses of Illinois' taxpayers has been proposed in Springfield. Tax increases have been called for by the Democrat majorities in the Illinois House and Senate. Income tax increase, gas tax increase, sales tax increase, a tax on services and a cigarette tax increase are all on the table.

 

You are invited to weigh in on the proposed tax increases.

 

Register your opinion online on Tax Increases!

or

Click here for print version of Survey on Tax Increases!

 

The Survey results will be posted next week.  An email notice will be sent to those who submitted the survey to tell them the results are posted.

 

CLA will continue to frequently post news stories, from around Illinois, regarding the tax increase proposals.

 

Tax Survey Results:

Following are results from responses to the Committee for Legislative Action's Tax Survey. Please note, these statistics are not from a scientific poll, but come from voluntary responses. Each person’s reply is only counted one time, regardless of how many times they may submit to the Survey. Updates will be posted frequently. Please encourage others to reply.

Results updated 7/2/2009

Cigarette Tax Increase

# in favor	% in favor	# opposed	% opposed
3784	51%	3673	49%

Gas Tax Increase

# in favor	% in favor	# opposed	% opposed
708	10%	6685	90%

Income Tax Increase

# in favor	% in favor	# opposed	% opposed
1675	22%	6047	78%

Sales Tax Increase

# in favor	% in favor	# opposed	% opposed
982	13%	6416	87%

Service Tax Increase

# in favor	% in favor	# opposed	% opposed
558	8%	6827	92%

 

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It's plain as day: Burris misled intentionally

 

By: Mark Brown

Chicago Sun-Times

June 21, 2009

With any luck, Sen. Roland Burris will see such vindication in a Downstate prosecutor's decision not to charge him with perjury that he'll try to use it as a basis to run in 2010.

That would give Illinois voters the chance to let him know exactly what they think of his act -- and render a more meaningful verdict on his honesty than could have been expected from any jury of his peers in Sangamon County.

If Burris has any sense, on the other hand, he'll continue to blame all his credibility troubles on the media and announce right now that he's calling it a career as soon as his term ends.

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Politics may stall tax vote

Democrats could pressure the GOP in a later session

 

 

By: Ray Long and Rick Pearson

Chicago Tribune

May 27, 2009

 

SPRINGFIELD -- Leading Democrats still are looking to raise Illinois' income tax to fix the state's out-of-whack budget, but they may put off doing so until after Sunday's scheduled adjournment to try to force Republicans to share in the political pain.
 

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Suggestions for cutting or modifying the state budget

 

There are plenty of politicians in Springfield looking to raise taxes. The public is saying the logical first step should be to cut spending by eliminating programs or changing the existing ones. Senator Rutherford wants the public’s input and will help ensure the suggestions get to the right decision makers.

 

Many voters in Illinois believe the state should tighten its belt, just like one does with their family budget. Recommendations for changes, cutting and modifications submitted will be read by Senator Rutherford. A representative sample of the suggestions will be posted on this site periodically.

 

Your suggestions on how to trim the state budget are welcome!

 

Click Here to go to Senator Dan Rutherford's homepage

to submit your comments!

 

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