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* Earlier this week, the House and Senate unanimously approved SB291 and sent it to the governor in a single day.

What does the bill do? From the synopsis…

Amends the Notice by Publication Act and the Newspaper Legal Notice Act. Provides that one of the 5 elements of the definition of “newspaper” is modified to provide that a newspaper consists of not less than 4 pages of printed matter and contains at least 100 (instead of 130) square inches of printed matter per page.

Senate President John Cullerton told reporters this week that the change was intended to make sure the Sun-Times and the Chicago Defender could continue publishing taxpayer-financed legal notices since the papers had altered their designs…

The legislation also makes clear that any legal notices published by the newspapers in violation of existing state law are now to be considered valid…

Provides that any notice published prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act that complies with the amendatory Act is legal and valid for all purposes. Effective immediately.

That’s what you would call bending over backwards for a couple of publishers.

…Adding… The bill was actually introduced by House Majority Leader Barb Currie on behalf of the Hyde Park Herald, where David Axelrod got his start. A Sun-Times employee just said this was the first he’d heard of any benefit for his paper.

* Back in May, both chambers unanimously approved SB1671, which extended the sales tax exemption for graphic arts machinery and equipment until August 30, 2014. The tax credit was set to expire at the end of July.

Just for good measure, the General Assembly made it clear that newspapers were included in this tax exemption…

For the purpose of this Section, persons engaged primarily in the business of printing or publishing newspapers or magazines that qualify as newsprint and ink… are deemed to be engaged in graphic arts production.

Please, keep all of this in mind when you read newspaper editorials about taxes and spending.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 2:41 pm

Comments

Doesn’t it make logical sense to just exempt the cost of printing the legal notices from the sales tax?

Comment by Brennan Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:00 pm
So, Newspapers get bent over for, but we cannot get sales tax taken off of textbooks for college students? Thanks GA!

Comment by George IV Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:01 pm
Mother Tribune is the Mother-of-all-Hypocrites when it comes to the tax issue.

Their editorial board repeatedly demands “shared sacrifice,” but I’ve yet to hear them offer to forgo their various taxpayer-funded subsidies.

Comment by Yellow Dog Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:15 pm
You have to appreciate the irony: Tribune running stories about clout on univerity of illinois admissions, while the newspapers are using their “clout” to obtain tax free printing.

I guess the tribune is ok with clout benefits, if the benefits are for themselves….

Comment by Ghost Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:17 pm
George IV, the college textbook purchasing lobbyists need to funnel some campaign $$$ to the GA, don’t ya know.

Comment by The Doc Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:17 pm
legal notices should be posted online only, save money for all taxpayers and makes it easier to search for something if you are looking for it

this legal notice bill just keeps a level playing field between all newspapers - but in fact that notice publication business is just a taxpayer subsidy - they should be online only, every state, local and municipal government agency has a website - that should be enough, why waste all that paper every day . . . .

Cullerton is a smart guy. This should have been a chance to bring this policy into the 21st century.

Comment by Hon. Cranial Lamb Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:28 pm
===which extended the sales tax exemption for graphic arts machinery and equipment.===
If you update your blog and tweet from your pontoon boat do you get an exemption for that?

Comment by Been There Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:57 pm
Newspapers soon to be the size of comic books…hey, wait a minute.,,

Comment by You Go Boy Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 3:59 pm
Did I hear Mr. Cullerton correctly? He thinks the GOP will support a tax increase because they will differentiate between a tax increase to pay back bills and a tax increase for social spending?

Hold on a minute, sir! You are mistaken if you believe the GOP is against a tax increase because the money might go to assist the needy! That statement condemns the GOP and is just flat-out wrong! The problem is not where the money will be spent. The problem is that the tax increase is being ramrodded down the throats of Illinoisans by a Majority Party which closed the door to other options and deliberately painted everyone into a corner in order to justify doing little to address more efficient and cost effective ways of providing government services in Illinois. We all knew this day was coming ever since Blagojevich was removed from office, yet the Majority Party did nothing to move legislation through, open dialog, or recommend a different approach to government cutbacks or efficiencies. We can merge similar government agencies, sir! We can look into addressing the inefficiencies that remain in Illinois government.

To claim that the tax increase was opposed because of where the money would be spent is an ugly accusation. Most everyone in the GOP were not demanding that babies, seniors or the needy take it in the shorts! That was not the reason for the political risks you are undertaking when voting to increase the income tax.

Consequentially, if you, Mr. Cullerton, after all these months of stalemate and inaction, haven’t figured out how to discuss this crisis in a non-partisan, non-accusatory way, you will be unable to get more than the 71 votes for a tax increase you expect to get later this year.

OR, did I just hear you incorrectly?

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jul 17, 09 @ 9:09 pm
All the more reason that papers should be required to run candidate ads for free as a campaign finance reform. The only way to make candidates less dependent on special interest money is to make running for office cheaper.

Comment by Will Sunday, Jul 19, 09 @ 5:32 pm
The Trib will be all over this clout story.

Comment by wordslinger Sunday, Jul 19, 09 @ 10:38 pm