Tax and fee increases driving truckers
out of Illinois    

Truckers asked to sign petition 

[MAY 5, 2004]  SPRINGFIELD -- State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, strongly supports passage of crucial legislation drafted to reduce the financial burden on the Illinois trucking industry and keep business in Illinois.

The Mid-West Truckers Association announced this week that truck registration and renewal dropped dramatically this year, with approximately 17,000 fewer trucks renewing their license and Illinois truck registration declining by 2,700 trucking companies.

Sen. Bomke attributes the reduced number of trucks and companies conducting business in Illinois to out-of-state relocation prompted by the tax and fee increases imposed on the trucking companies last year by the Blagojevich administration.  

"These excessive taxes are forcing trucking companies across state lines," said Bomke, who opposed the tax and fee increases last year and has since worked to repeal them. "The sharp decline in truck licensing and renewal indicates that the industry has been adversely affected by these fee increases. House Bill 412 needs to be passed in order to prevent a mass exodus of businesses from Illinois. Illinois cannot afford to lose any more jobs."

House Bill 412 is currently being held in the Senate Rules Committee. Bomke is a co-sponsor of the bill, which would eliminate the new commercial distribution fees and reinstate the rolling stock exemption as it existed prior to last year's changes.

Bomke urges area truckers hit hard by last year's tax and fee hikes to sign a petition urging passage of House Bill 412. Copies of the petition are available by calling Bomke's district office at [phone] or [phone] or online at www.senategop.state.il.us/www/fees/truckfees.htm.

[News release]