WATCH: Illinois veto session to resume with potential taxes and fees on the table
(The Center Square) – Fall veto session is scheduled to resume Tuesday for lawmakers at the Illinois Capitol.
State Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, said Monday that transit and energy are two of the biggest issues facing the General Assembly.
“Keeping energy costs down, the people of the state of Illinois want to keep money in their pockets, right? We got kids. We got bills, so keeping utility costs down,” Evans said.
Evans also said taxes should be fair and low.
State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, expressed excitement about veto session but also concern about what might transpire.
“Hopefully the bad legislation that we’ve been hearing about does not surface. Hopefully they can’t find an agreement on some of the stuff, especially the energy bill,” Halbrook said.
Democrats have proposed adding a charge to consumers utility bills to pay for battery storage in the state.
A number of tax proposals are up for discussion, but one tax in particular has bipartisan opposition.
Several Illinois Senate Democrats have said that all options remain on the table to fund public transit.
State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, said the House did not pass a retail delivery tax last spring because it would be unfair to charge people in rural communities or “deserts” for essential things or items they can’t get access to.
“Now I have a real issue with that, because out here, we don’t have a whole lot of stores. We don’t have specialty stores. You either have to drive or you have to order,” Briel told The Center Square.
State Rep. Li Arellano, R-Dixon, said none of the Democrats’ tax increases are popular.
“Just this football season alone, I’ve been getting a ton of emails about the per-bet tax that we added. Obviously, we added cell phone taxes. Our fuel taxes are tied to inflation, so they’re just automatically going up. They’re getting hit by all these things,” Arellano told The Center Square.
Transit agencies have projected a $230 million fiscal cliff next year and an $834 million cliff in 2027.
The fall veto session has three days remaining and is scheduled to end on Thursday.
Events
Latest News Stories
Illinois quick hits: Pritzker orders ‘efficiencies’ for state spending; Marshalls recover missing child
WATCH: AR15s protected by 2nd Amendment; advocate reacts to appeals court hearing
Fiscal Fallout: Illinois spending swells 43% under Pritzker
Lake Land College to Name Nursing Simulation Lab for HSHS St. Anthony’s After Major Gift
New Incentives and Homecoming Plans Underway at Casey-Westfield Schools
White House does not expect arrests of sanctuary mayors and governors
ICE puts California, Illinois, New York on notice for refusing to cooperate
Appeals judge questions ‘uphill battle’ for IL gun ban found unconstitutional
Illinois library staff to be trained with overdose antidotes under new law
Illinois quick hits: Driver’s blood alcohol over legal limit; Fed survey shows growth below trend
Trump relays words from Charlie Kirk: ‘Please sir, save Chicago’
Illinois quick hits: Edgar remembered at funeral service; Iranian charged for re-entry of removed alien
