Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2007 » March
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
“Matlaked Again”

Saturday, Mar 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

If this video isn’t the best of the Chicago runoff season, I don’t know what is…


  Comments Off      


Weekend Extra - GOVERNOR CHANGES HIS GRT PLAN *** Updated x4 ***

Saturday, Mar 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

[Password removed because others have caught up. See updates below, including links to the actual amendments.]

The governor’s office has agreed to change his proposed gross receipts tax, according to a memo obtained from his budget office.

After complaints by Senate Democrats about the number of businesses that would be hit by the GRT, the governor has agreed to raise the minimum taxation point on the gross receipts tax from $1 million to $2 million, which will impact fewer businesses.

However, the gross receipts tax rate will rise. The GRT on services will go from the initially proposed 1.8 percent up to 1.95 percent, while the rate on goods will rise from the initial 0.5 percent to 0.85 percent. The revenues the gross receipts tax will now bring in will increase from $6.3 billion to $7.6 billion.

That extra money raised by the revised GRT will be mostly used for $1 billion in property tax relief, which was not in the original plan.

The following was e-mailed to me late yesterday from the governor’s office and was slightly revised for style. All emphasis added…

Today the key components of the Governor’s Investing in Families budget plan were filed in the Senate. Thought you’d want to know the bill numbers for tracking purposes.

Senate Bill 1 contains the education funding plan, the gross receipts tax revenue plan, and a property tax relief plan. The bill language reflects a few revisions worked out with the Senate:

Gross Receipts Exemption: increases from $1 million to $2 million – 85% of all businesses in Illinois now exempted

GRT services rate: increases from 1.8% to 1.95% (increases from $1.85 on every $100 to $1.95)

GRT goods rate: increases from .5% to .85% (increases from .50 cents for every $100 to .85 cents)

Total net revenue: increases from $6.3 billion to $7.6 billion ($1.3 billion increase, rounded)

$1.3 billion covers: $250 million bonded road program; $1 billion in property tax relief

Additional highlights:

Education – stays the same/$10 billion over 4 years

Healthcare – stays the same/all uninsured get access to affordable health care

Senate Bill 2 contains bond authorization for the Governor’s $1.5 billion school construction plan, $150 million for school maintenance grants, and $30 million for early childhood capital expansions.

Senate Bill 5 contains the Governor’s Illinois Covered plan to provide every Illinoisan with access to affordable health coverage.

Senate Bill 1090 contains language eliminating road fund transfers for SOS and ISP that cover health care and pensions for employees on our state roads (which started during the Edgar administration); these funds will instead be dedicated for bonded road construction projects. This legislation will allow the state to dedicate up to $3 billion more for the bonded road program.

*** UPDATE *** The AP has react on the plan, which they report was “forged in discussions with Senate President Emil Jones“…

Proponents say the tax would do a better job at gathering revenue as the state economy shifts from manufacturing to services.

‘’The package dramatically boosts education spending, gives every person in Illinois access to affordable health care, ensures property tax relief for homeowners around the state, invests in important infrastructure projects — and makes all of that possible by asking wealthy corporations to finally pay their fair share,'’ said Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff.

But business groups say the new plan will drive up consumer prices and discourage companies from doing business in Illinois.

Gregory Baise, the president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, called the new proposal ‘’unbelievable.'’

‘’The kind of negative reaction to this tax hike will only be compounded by this lunacy,'’ Baise said. ‘’This governor wants to tax too much. He wants to spend too much on his way to ruining the Illinois economy.'’

*** UPDATE 2 *** YDD has a comparison over at Illinoize of the revised GRT and HB 750

At the end of the day, the Governor’s plan calls for $8.6 billion in new taxes, with only $1 billion in tax relief, for a net increase in taxes of $7.6 billion. Funding for K-12 classrooms will increase $1.5 billion the first year, bringing foundation level funding to schools 6% below recommended levels. Higher education will see a meager $50 million increase.

House Bill 750 generates $9.05 billion in new taxes, but provides $3.6 billion in tax relief, for a net tax increase of only $5.45 billion, or 30% less than the Governor’s plan. House Bill 750 provides $3.9 billion for K-12 classroom instruction in the first year — 260% more than the Governor’s plan, bringing the foundation level funding for schools up to 100% of recommended levels. In addition, HB 750 provides $300 million more for higher education, 600% more than the Governor’s plan.

In the final analysis, only 20% of the net new spending in the Governor’s plan goes to education, while 72% of House Bill 750’s net new spending goes to education. Granted, this doesn’t include new spending on school construction, and I’ll post comparisons of both school construction plans as soon as they are available.

*** UPDATE 3 *** Full text of pertinent amendments

* (GRT) SB1, Amendment 1

* (Illinois Covered plan) SB 5, Amendment 1

* And the synopses for all amendments can be found here.

[Hat tip: AR]

*** UPDATE 4 *** Dan Johnson-Weinberger has a post at Illinoize on a very unfavorable look at the governor’s gross receipts tax by the “progressive” Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy. Dan’s post is here. The two-page study [pdf file] is here.

  Comments Off      


PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* After calls for her resignation, Harmon says Feigenholtz 'will need to do additional work in order to rebuild trust with her colleagues and constituents'
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list
* GOP pollster has Sorensen ahead by 6; Fioretti closing ad focuses on Dem opposition to Burke; Suburban man charged after punching election judge
* More on election security
* Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
* Question of the day
* C'mon, Harry
* Your early voting reports
* Chicago Bears open thread
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today's edition
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller