Progress Illinois

Earlier today, we wondered what was going to happen to Sen. James Meeks' tax plan after it passed out of the Illinois Senate last night. Well, there are ten-and-a-half hours left in the regular session, and it just took a big step in the House.  The Education Committee approved the bill 11-6-2.  It now heads to the floor.  Whether it gets a full vote before the day ends is the big question.

Rep. David Miller, the chief sponsor in the House, testified on behalf of the bill, which would increase both the personal and corporate income tax to 5 percent, expand the sales tax to certain consumer services, raise the personal exemption from $2,000 to $3,000, double the state property tax credit, and triple the Earned Income Tax Credit. The boost in revenue would initially be used to plug the deficit and erase the state's backlog of bills.   Ultimately, the money would go towards leveling the state's inequitable school funding formula.

Miller addressed concerns about the implementation of the provision expanding the sales tax to certain consumer services, saying that Gov. Quinn could delay the effective date of that portion of the bill via an amendatory veto (assuming the House passed the bill and it made it to the governor's desk).  He also pointed out that, even with the $5 billion in new revenue generated by Meeks' plan, there is still the need for $2 billion in cuts (that is, if the state makes its full pension payment).  "For those of you who feel we need to make cuts. please identify them," he said. "On the floor yesterday, what I heard was campaign speeches.  What I didn't hear was specific cuts."

Moments before the roll call, Miller grew emotional. "This is something I've fought for for a very long time.  And it's here," he told the committee members  "I just think it's the right thing to do -- to deal with this problem."