You are invited to participate in the process.


 

 


 

The Dan Rutherford Campaign

Committee is a proud Sponsor

of the Committee for Legislative

Action.

 

www.DanRutherford.org

 

 *********************** 

 

Senator Dan Rutherford’s website for Legislative and Public Policy matters is:
www.DanRutherford.com

 

Senator Dan Rutherford’s website for political matters is:
www.DanRutherford.org

Dan Rutherford

State Senator


 

 

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Your help is needed to fund the outreach. Taxpayer dollars do not support the Committee for Legislative Action.  The  website development to mailings are done by volunteers and donated contributions.

 

Donations of any sizes are not only appreciated, but vital in CLA's continuing effort to collect important information and making it public.

 

If you donate online know that it is appreciated. If you would rather contribute by mail you may do so by mailing a check to CLA, 220 W. Howard Street, Pontiac IL, 61764.  Thank you!

 

Click Here to donate to the CLA


Updates on activities in Illinois Government…

 

The Committee for Legislative Action (CLA) was established in 1995 with the primary purpose of bringing sunlight to attempts to raise Fees and Taxes in Illinois. This is done by postings on CLA's website, which is mature, comprehensive and visited by thousands, along with sending e-mail notices and, at times, through postal mailings.

CLA has built a network of tens of thousands of individuals who are interested in the actions of Illinois government. The CLA network is ALL over Illinois.

 

The Committee for Legislative Action is not a partisan effort. All are welcome to participate, but to sign up one must be an Illinois registered voter.

 

E-mail updates from CLA are limited and only sent when relevant; we all get too many e-mails. Spam is prohibited and jokes are not forwarded.
 

Taxpayer dollars do not sponsor the Committee for Legislative Action. The website development and mailings are done by volunteers and donated contributions. The website is updated regularly.

 

Thank you for your interest.

 

Dan Rutherford
State Senator
Chairman, CLA

 


 

Register your opinion on

Tax Increases!

 

 

The Governor and Leaders of both the Illinois House and Senate are calling for an income tax increase, as sales tax increase, a gas tax increase, and a cigarette tax increase, as well as creating a new tax on services.

 

People have expresses concern that elected officials are not taking their opinion into consideration when making decisions on legislation. Please weigh in on the proposed tax increase and let your opinion be known.

 

Register your opinion

online on Tax Increases!

 

or

 

Click here for print version

of Survey on Tax Increases!

 

Survey results are updated regularly.  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 are posted frequently. Please encourage others to participate.

Results updated 2/8/2010

Cigarette Tax Increase

# in favor % in favor # opposed % opposed
4076 50% 4077 50%

 

Gas Tax Increase

# in favor % in favor # opposed % opposed
753 9% 7321 91%

 

Income Tax Increase

# in favor % in favor # opposed % opposed
1819 21% 6696 79%

 

Sales Tax Increase

# in favor % in favor # opposed % opposed
1035 13% 7058 87%

 

A New Tax on Services

# in favor % in favor # opposed % opposed
617 8% 7509 92%

 


 

Service Tax in Illinois

 

The Illinois State Senate Democratic majority passed a bill that created, for the first time, a tax on services. The Legislature has reconvened for the Spring Session. The House did not act on the bill in the fall, but it will most likely be considered this session.

The new tax on services would be on cable TV, dry cleaning and internet service, to name a few.
 

To print and sign the petition against the new service tax, click below.

 

Service Tax Petition

 


 

Blagojevich lawyers return to court with complaint list

 

Chicago Sun-Times

By: Natasha Korecki

January 27, 2010

 

Federal prosecutors expect a grand jury to return a new indictment

against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his brother next week,

they said in court today.

Prosecutors are expected to reindict the governor and Rob Blagojevich to help avoid problems with a disputed law that’s being weighed this session by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar said that would likely happen by the end of next week.

That likely means that both the ex-governor and his brother will soon make an appearance again in federal court to formally enter a plea to the new indictment.

The high court is looking at three cases dealing with the honest services statute — something the Blagojevich brothers are now accused of violating.

The new indictment isn’t expected to break new ground.

“It is anticipated that any new charges would be based on the underlying conduct that currently encompasses the pending charges,” prosecutors wrote in a December filing.

Defense lawyers have said they would seek a delay in the trial if the high court ends up throwing out the honest services statute, but U.S. District Judge James Zagel has said he was unlikely to give much of an extension.
 


 

ACLU asks to block hiked lobbying fees collection

 

Daily Herald
By: Associated Press
December 12, 2009

 

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois asked a federal court Friday to block the state from collecting sharply increased annual fees for registering as a lobbyist.

 

Under legislation due to take effect Jan. 1, the annual fee that most lobbyists must pay the secretary of state's office when they register, as required by law, jumps from $350 to $1,000.

 

The ACLU said in a lawsuit filed Friday against Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White that the increase represents an unconstitutional tax on speech. The lawsuit asks U.S. District Judge Joan Gottschall to block the state from collecting the additional amount from nonprofit organizations.

 

"Nonprofit organizations should not be forced to pay a tax in order to express their views to the General Assembly when they are meeting in Springfield or engaged in legislative activities elsewhere," said Adam Schwarz, senior staff counsel with the ACLU of Illinois.

 

David Druker, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office, declined to comment. The increased fee was approved by the Legislature and the secretary of state was merely designated to collect it.

 

Schwarz said the ACLU considers any amount above the cost of administering the act requiring lobbyists to register to be an unconstitutional tax on speech.

 

He said besides Illinois, no state has a registration fee higher than $365. He said 42 states have a fee of $150 or lower. Registering under the federal lobbying law is free.

 

While the ACLU lawsuit asks the court to declare the law unconstitutional, it seeks to block the state from collecting the additional money from nonprofit organizations. But the lawsuit says nothing about the additional money that for-profit companies would pay under the new measure.

 

The ACLU also said that the Legislature acted unfairly when it made an exception for religious organizations and the news media and that those groups should pay the same fees as all others.

 


 

U.S. may reindict Blagojevich in statute end run

 

ChicagoBreakingNews.com
By: Jeff Coen
December 7, 2009

 

Federal prosecutors are promising to bring a new indictment against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to avoid issues connected to an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court on the scope of the federal "honest services" statute under which Blagojevich has been charged.

That would prevent the need to delay Blagojevich's June trial date, they said.

In a filing today, prosecutors said they would handle the honest services question in the new filing against the former governor. The high court is expected to hear arguments tomorrow related to the limits of the federal statute.

 

Honest services fraud criminalizes schemes that deprive the public or the government of the right to have public officials perform their duties honestly.

The honest services statute makes up a portion of a number of the charges against Blagojevich, alleging that he violated his official duties while illegally leveraging the powers of his office to benefit himself.

Among the allegations against the former governor is that he sought something for himself - including perhaps a job - in exchange for his appointment of someone to fill the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

"At this time, it is anticipated that any new charges would be based on the underlying conduct that currently encompasses the pending charges," today's filing by Assistant U.S. Atty. Reid Schar states.

Blagojevich's defense this fall proposed moving the Blagojevich trial date so that any impact from a Supreme Court decision on honest services could be absorbed.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel denied that request but asked the government to file a written response.

Schar wrote that, at most, some of the counts against Blagojevich would be dropped if the high court severely limited the use of honest services.

 


 

Think tank: Illinois budget among the worst in the nation

 

 

Pantagraph
By: Mike Riopell
November 11, 2009

 

SPRINGFIELD -- When it comes to money, Illinois is among the worst-off states in the country, a national think tank reported Wednesday.

 

In a study based on California's epic budget problems, Illinois is listed among the nine other states suffering similar severe money troubles.

 


 

Study shows suburban Cook

businesses take hit over sales tax

 

Daily Herald
By: Ted Cox
November 11, 2009

A new study shows that businesses in suburban Cook, especially along the county line, continue to suffer under the burden of the increased sales tax.

The study, from DePaul University's Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, shows that sales are down across the Chicago region in the tough economy, but most of all in suburban Cook County.


 

Senator Rutherford on Illinois Income Tax Increase

State Senator Dan Rutherford was recently featured on Comcast's "Newsmakers" program; the Senator discussed proposals that would increase the Illinois Income Tax.


 

Illinois driver's license fees to triple soon

 

 

Pantagraph
By: Mike Riopell
 

SPRINGFIELD -- People who need to renew their Illinois driver's licenses have about a week left before the cost of doing so triples.

 

The cost of renewing a standard Illinois driver's license jumps from $10 to $30 on Oct. 11.

 

Drivers have to renew their licenses every four years, and the $10 fee has been the same since 1983.

 


 

Movie, sports tickets could be taxed

 

Daily Herald
By: John Patterson
 

SPRINGFIELD - Moviegoers at places like Kerasotes Naperville Showplace 16 and other multiplexes across the suburbs don't get hit with the state's sales tax when catching a flick, just one of the myriad services Illinois chooses not to tax.

 

But a new report issued Friday from state economic officials illustrates how the service industry has increasingly become the economic engine of Illinois and suggests there's perhaps more than $7 billion a year to be had if it were taxed the same as other purchases.

 


 

Study: Taxing hair cuts, plumbing repairs could net

                                                                       $7 billion for the state

 

The Southern Springfield Bureau
By: Kurt Erickson
 

SPRINGFIELD – A new study says taxing services such as haircuts, plumbing repairs and storage facilities could generate more than $7 billion for Illinois’ depleted budget.

The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, which provides revenue forecasts for the General Assembly, estimates that up to 100,000 businesses could be affected by adding such a tax, which are used in other states, but are sparingly deployed in Illinois.

 


 


 

Senator Dan Rutherford discussed proposed Service Tax

 

 


 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The recession is starving the government of tax revenue, just as the president and Congress are piling a major expansion of health care and other programs on the nation's plate and struggling to find money to pay the tab.

 

The numbers could hardly be more stark: Tax receipts are on pace to drop 18 percent this year, the biggest single-year decline since the Great Depression, while the federal deficit balloons to a record $1.8 trillion.

 

Other figures in an Associated Press analysis underscore the recession's impact: Individual income tax receipts are down 22 percent from a year ago. Corporate income taxes are down 57 percent. Social Security tax receipts could drop for only the second time since 1940, and Medicare taxes are on pace to drop for only the third time ever.

 

The last time the government's revenues were this bleak, the year was 1932 in the midst of the Depression. "Our tax system is already inadequate to support the promises our government has made," said Eugene Steuerle, a former Treasury Department official in the Reagan administration who is now vice president of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

 


 

 

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