 Lawmakers also have yet to take up-or-down votes on a number of
other significant measures. They will debate those proposals when
they return to Springfield later this month.Illinois Statehouse
News compiled a list of what legislation Quinn will mull over and
what's left for lawmakers to consider:
What the governor will consider:
School borrowing
Lawmakers have approved a plan allowing public universities the
power to borrow money in order to pay employee salaries and expenses
for at least the rest of the school year.
The state is months behind on millions of dollars in payments to
its public universities because of the state's $13 billion budget
deficit. Additionally, university administrators have testified
before lawmakers that their institutions are struggling to remain
financially credible.
While both the House and Senate passed the borrowing plan by
considerable margins, the governor has not indicated when he would
consider the proposal.
Nursing home changes
A comprehensive measure passed overwhelmingly by both chambers
last week would raise the number of caregivers working at nursing
homes statewide.
David Vinkler with AARP in Illinois said providing a statewide
requirement for staffing would raise the standard of care for
nursing homes.
"You're really touching the poor performers more than you are the
good performers. So if (nursing homes) have pretty high staffing
that takes care of their residents, they won't have to adjust too
much to reach it. Those facilities that are dangerously low on
staffing, yes, they're going to have a little harder time, but
that's kind of the idea behind this," he said.
The measure would also tighten standards on nursing homes and
background checks for personnel, as well as provide whistle-blower
protections for patients.
Vinkler said he would be surprised if Quinn didn't sign the
proposal into law, as many of the suggestions came from a task force
commissioned by the governor.
Telecommunications
A telecommunications bill passed both the Senate and House last
week. The new bill would allow utility companies such as AT&T to
invest in newer technologies such as broadband and provide better
service for customers -- including those who are getting rid of
landlines.
State Rep. Kevin McCarthy, D-Orland Park, sponsored the
legislation, which passed unanimously in both houses.
AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza said this is good
legislation for consumers in Illinois.
"I firmly believe this is the right public policy for Illinois at
this time," La Schiazza said. "Illinois is open for business. This
is a major step forward."
McCormick Place and Navy Pier
A plan that will change how Chicago's biggest exhibition and
convention center is run is awaiting the governor's approval.
McCormick Place, overseen by McPier, the Metropolitan Pier and
Exhibition Authority, has been losing many of its national trade
shows due to rising union costs, and lawmakers hope the changes will
be enough to keep the shows in Chicago.
Under the proposal, a trustee would be assigned to aid in the
privatization of McCormick Place.
The proposal would also place a cap on labor fees and allow
exhibitors to avoid extra union fees by taking more responsibility
for their shows' setup.
Both chambers approved the changes by significant margins, but
Quinn has not set a timetable on consideration.
[to top of second column] |
Property tax
During the flurry of proposals that came up on Friday, lawmakers
passed a measure that would give Chicago residents property tax
relief.
The Illinois General Assembly voted to extend the "7 percent
solution" at the suggestion of Quinn.
The plan would cap property tax increases by 7 percent per year
and would replace the existing law that expires this year.
The proposal also clarifies homestead exemptions and provides for
taxpayer action boards to be created in Cook and suburban counties
at no cost to the state.
What the General Assembly will consider:
Cigarette tax hike
A proposal sponsored by state Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg,
D-Evanston, would implement a $1 tax hike per pack of cigarettes
over two years.
Schoenberg estimated the tax increase would bring in $300 million
and could be leveraged for additional federal funding.
But Republicans claim the tax hike would hurt small businesses,
while lawmakers in border districts say it would push smokers to
make purchases in other states.
The Senate passed a version of the plan by a vote of 30-26 last
year, and an equally contentious vote will likely occur in the
House.
Sales tax holiday
The Senate will consider a plan to drop the sales tax on clothing
and school goods from 6.25 percent to 1.25 percent for 10 days this
August.
The House passed the plan by a vote of 65-51 last week, with most
Democrats supporting the measure and most Republicans voting against
it.
Republicans are concerned the state could lose out on sales tax
revenue from parents shopping for the start of the school year.
But Rob Karr, vice president of the Illinois Retail Merchants
Association, said the state of Florida earned an extra $100 million
using a similar sales tax holiday.
"And that's because people buy the items that are under the
holiday ... but they also purchase the accessories, the items that
aren't covered, to go with those things," he said. "Plus you have
gas purchases, food purchases when people are out shopping."
Tax amnesty period
House Democrats are putting together a proposal that would
provide an incentive for taxpayers to pay their overdue state taxes.
Those who paid their tardy taxes during a proposed amnesty period
would not have to pay interest or penalties on those taxes.
Sue Hofer with the Illinois Department of Revenue indicated the
amnesty period could bring in an estimated $100 million, but she
added that the department could recoup most of that without an
amnesty period.
Neither the full House nor Senate has debated the proposed tax
amnesty. Quinn originally opposed the idea, but a spokeswoman with
Quinn's Office of Management and Budget said the governor was now
"supportive" of the proposal.
[Illinois
Statehouse News]
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