Some area legislators have mixed reviews over what was accomplished during their session that just concluded. Senator Scott Bennett, a Democrat from Champaign, supported a tax relief plan that he says prioritizes students and working families. Bennett says he is ‘’looking toward the future and setting Illinois up for success with a tax relief plan that will help our state thrive for years to come.’’
Senator Jason Barrickman, Republican of Bloomington, says lawmakers missed an opportunity to provide taxpayers some permanent relief….
{AUDIO: ”The people of this state, they’re you know, crying for relief. They want tax relief. They want permanent reduction in taxes. They want to see the legislature address the rampant crime that exists around this state. Look, the reality is this session fell far short of delivering the meaningful relief that people wanted to see in those measures.”}
Senator Chapin Rose says he is also disappointed a tax relief plan that was approved does not offer permanent relief….
{AUDIO: ”We give people temporary relief that’s going to expire – shockingly – after the election is over with. And yet we’re now going to have spending built in the base going into the future. So there was a choice there. There was a deliberate choice made not to give people their money back – but to take it and spend it.”}
Senator Scott Bennett says under the tax relief plan, direct checks of $50 per individual and $100 per child – up to three children per family – will be sent to families. The income limits for eligibility to receive the funds are $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for joint filers, allowing over 95-percent of taxpayers to receive the checks.
The tax relief plan, also known as House Bill 1539, passed the Illinois Senate on Saturday.
Governor JB Pritzker praised lawmakers at the end of their session. The Governor told them they achieved our state’s strongest fiscal position in generations, and prioritized the education, public safety, health, and welfare of the residents of Illinois.
Under the new budget package Illinois school districts will see an extra $518 million dollars with full support for Evidence Based Funding and paying for textbooks, classroom upgrades, counseling staff and teachers.
Illinois will also be expanding a popular Main Street Grants program that helps small businesses. And Governor Pritzker adds the state will be suspending its licensing fees for bars and restaurants and will be giving them grants to assist in their recovery. The Governor says the new budget package includes $1.8 billion dollars in tax relief, but some area lawmakers said they are disappointed the relief is only temporary.
{Photo is State Senator Scott Bennett during an earlier visit to the Neuhoff Media studios in Danville.}
