For whatever reason, my syndicated column hasn’t been posted yet this morning at the Southtown’s site, but I sent them an e-mail so you’ll be able to find it here later this morning. [UPDATE: The column has now been posted. Here’s the direct link.] The gist of the piece is that there are aspects of both major tax plans currently on the table that haven’t been discussed much.

First, the governor’s gross receipts tax…

The governor has claimed that his proposal is all about “tax fairness” because “fat cat” corporations are not paying their fair share of income taxes. He’s right about the corporations avoiding taxation, but a family-owned restaurant that sells a little over a million dollars worth of food every year (and there are lots of them) aren’t what you would normally think of as fat cats.

State Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) claims Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s chief of staff told him that if the state moved the minimum taxation level from $1 million to $2 million, the government would lose $450 million a year in revenue. Meeks believes that the “real” money from this proposed $6 billion tax hike will come mainly from small to medium sized businesses, not giant multinational corporations, and I’m betting he’s right.

And now, HB/SB 750, more commonly known as the “tax swap”…

Meanwhile, Meeks is supporting House Bill 750, which is almost universally described as a “tax swap.” In the past, similar legislation “swapped” a large income tax increase for large cuts in the property tax. However, almost never mentioned is that this new legislation would extend the state sales tax to all sorts of services.

The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, which also backs the Meeks bill, estimates that the revenue generated from those new service taxes would come to about $2 billion in the first year.

The idea of taxing services is fiscally sound. The service sector is where the real economic growth is, so the current state income and sales tax revenues aren’t keeping pace with the growth of the economy. But implementing such a broad tax on services has in the past proved politically difficult. Many service-oriented business have close contact with their regular customers, and they’ve been able to use those relationships to pressure state legislatures all over the country to beat back service taxes. Barbers tend to be the most outspoken, and they have extremely loyal customer bases.

In addition to barbers and beauticians, the legislation would tax services and businesses like travel agents, computer repairs, carpet cleaning services, dating services, dry cleaners, storage units, nail and skin care, consumer goods rentals, diet services, private investigation services, bail bonds, photo studios, interior designers, collection agencies, auto repairs, parking lots and garages, towing services, amusement parks, racetracks, bowling alleys, cable TV, golf courses and country clubs, fitness and recreational sports centers, sports teams, performing arts companies, miniature golf, sightseeing tours, limo services, movie theaters and more.

* Meanwhile, Copley takes a look at Gov. Blagojevich using “God” as a legislative ally.

“I’m personally offended by the governor trying to bring God into the debate of fiscal policy and taxation,” Doug Whitley, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said Friday. […]

“Is he laying it on too thick? I think so,” state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, said. “There simply is no way to know his motivation. I’m thinking it’s mostly just rhetoric, as unfortunate as it may be.”

Copley then digs up two unlikely proponents…

Muslim leader Abdul Malik Mujahid, meanwhile, said he would not object if Blagojevich had used blatantly Christian language. “I consider poverty to be a moral issue, and I also consider medical coverage to be a health-justice issue,” said Mujahid, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. “People of all faiths are concerned with moral issues.” […]

Illinois atheist Rob Sherman said he has no problem with the governor’s allusions to God because Blagojevich has couched his comments as opinion, not fact. Sherman said Blagojevich’s approach is different from that of Alan Keyes, the 2004 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate who recently contended that Jesus would not vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Blagojevich is “merely expressing what he believes God wants, rather than saying he’s God’s spokesman,” Sherman said.

* Aaron Chambers looks at the same topic and comes to this conclusion…

The feds are investigating his fundraising, contracting and hiring practices. The state’s bills are backed up by $2 billion. Other leading Democrats are lining up at the Capitol against him.

Masses of people are clamoring for significantly more state spending on schools. ComEd and Ameren, the state’s largest electric utilities, are raising their rates exponentially. His apparent ambition to run for president was eclipsed by U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, another liberal Democrat from Illinois.

On Monday, the governor’s taxpayer-paid staff continued a statewide blitz promoting his plan. They issued a news release saying it “could reverse the course of HIV/AIDS in Illinois.”

The devil is in the details, but God is in the message.

Blagojevich may well need him.

* Other budget/tax coverage…

* Tax cap hits Southland businesses hardest

* Blagojevich questions fairness as he pushes new business taxes

* Triple threat hit governor’s tax plan

* Observers say Lt. Gov spat could hurt Blagojevich’s tax plan

* Editorial: Listen to critics of GRT

* Dissention within the Democratic ranks on Governor’s tax plan

* Kane: Critic overstated impact of tax

* Agency head says governor’s plan will make tax system fairer

* Illinois’ health director urges support for Governor’s agenda