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Hey, Cub fans…

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Your ol’ buddy Ron Santo is at it again

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today welcomed the support of Chicago Cubs legend and broadcaster Ron Santo for his historic plan to give every Illinoisan access to affordable, quality healthcare coverage.

Santo stood with the Governor in front of Wrigley Field to voice his support of the Governor’s “Illinois Covered” proposal to make sure Illinois’ 1.4 million currently uninsured adults have access to affordable health coverage – and to help millions of middle-class families who already have insurance afford the high cost of premiums.

There’s no Santo quote in the press release endorsing the governor’s gross receipts tax, but that’s mostly how the health insurance proposal will be financed.

This isn’t the first time that Santo and Blagojevich have done a joint public appearance. Santo and Blagojevich (a major Cub fan) did a press pop on behalf of the Diabetes Research Tax Checkoff Fund a while back.

*** UPDATE *** John Beydler takes a look at the gross receipts tax and comes up with this logic

Forbes’ Magazine’s ranking of the best states for business doesn’t indicate a gross receipits tax is a problem. Texas is No. 2 best state for business; Delaware is No. 8; Washington is No. 12. (Illinois is No. 44.)

Taxfoundation.org’s rankings track closely: Texas is No. 6 best state; Delaware is No. 9; Washington is No. 11. (Illinois is No. 25).

The problem may be less a gross receipts tax than the rates being proposed and the dollars it would it would put in the hands of a state government that often spends neither wisely nor well.

More on the Texas GRT here

The updated franchise tax levies a 1 percent tax on the gross receipts of businesses in Texas (retailers pay a .5 percent rate), but exempts sole proprietorships and general partnerships. Businesses can elect to deduct either the cost of goods sold or employment costs.

That’s quite a bit different from the one proposed here. There are no exemptions (except for those grossing under $2 million) and no deductions in Gov. Blagojevich’s plan.

Washington state’s plan is somewhat similar, except for the GRT on retail and most other service businesses, which would be much higher under Blagojevich’s plan…

The major B&O tax rates are: .0471% for retailing, 0.484% for manufacturing, wholesaling and most other business, and 1.5% for selected business services. In the case of manufacturing, this means that $4.84 is collected for every $1,000 of gross sales. Businesses with gross receipts of less than $1,000 per month are exempt from B&O tax payments. Some cities also apply a B&O tax to sales made by businesses physically located within the city, and on sales to customers located in cities that have a B&O tax.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 3:05 pm

Comments

  1. Cute.
    Beydler takes conservative tax organization’s state rankings and applies his pro-GRT tax logic to it, as though these organizations don’t have a problem with GRT taxes either.

    But that is not what Forbes or The Tax Foundation believes. Both have written about the GRT tax and how it damages state economies.

    It is Beydler who lifts numbers from these organizations who have clearly stated why GRT taxes are bad, and then twists them into some kind of pro-GRT stance.

    There is a vast difference in how these organizations rank states and how Breydler is using these ranking to justify his support of the GRT.

    Cute - and deliberately misleading…

    Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 4:18 pm

  2. So, the Governor can’t get his running mate to support him, and also can’t get the Speaker of the House, the Treasurer, the Comptroller, Jesse Jackson, or Daley to support him - but he has Ron Santo.

    Now, if he can just get Steve Bartman, Cuddley Duddley, Mancow, Bj and Dirty Dragon, or any remaining magicians from the old Bozo’s Circus to sign up with his GRT plan, maybe the Governor can convince some more unions to get on board with his GRT plan!

    He’s not governing - he is still campaigning - try a little governing, Governor!

    Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 4:30 pm

  3. Hey Vanilla — you forgot Ronny Woo Woo Too!
    that will put the effort over the top.

    Comment by GettingJonesed Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 4:38 pm

  4. Here in Springfield 1450 am carries the Cubs games and they keep running a commerical that says “Dusty’s boys of summer”. Guess the Governor needs to spend more time in Springfield so he can tell them Dusty is gone.

    Comment by State Worker w/ MBA Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 9:20 pm

  5. Ron, you just struck out.

    Comment by Snidely Whiplash Tuesday, Apr 17, 07 @ 5:23 am

  6. SO someone else is exploiting Ron’s disability to get what he wants. Hopefully, he will be as sucessful as Santo has been in using it to get in the HOF

    Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, Apr 17, 07 @ 4:21 pm

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