 As Illinois taxpayers wait to see if lawmakers can craft a budget before session
ends May 31, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting
restaurants from labeling a menu item as catfish unless it actually contains
catfish.
Senate Bill 312 originally passed the Illinois Senate May 18 by a 55-1 vote,
with state Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, being the only “no” vote. The bill
passed the House 82-23 May 30. State Sens. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago, and
Napoleon Harris III, D-Harvey, introduced the legislation with House sponsors
state Reps. Melissa Conyears-Ervin, D-Chicago; LaToya Greenwood, D-East St.
Louis; and Camille Lilly, D-Oak Park.
The legislation amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to allow for
individuals to file complaints against restaurants mislabeling catfish. Under
this legislation, if the Department of Public Health or a local health
department receives two separate complaints for a restaurant mislabeling
catfish, the department will inspect the restaurant for the validity of the
catfish. If the restaurant fails the catfish inspection, the department will
impose a $250 fine, with the fine amount increasing for subsequent violations.
SB 312 was brought to a vote before the House began debate on a budget, though
Senate Democrats passed part of a proposal May 23, which would increase taxes
$5.4 billion without any economic reforms.
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Senate Bill 9, which contains the $5.4 billon tax increase, would
raise the personal income tax rate to 4.95 percent from the current
3.75 percent rate and the corporate income tax rate to 7 percent
from 5.25 percent. It also expands the state sales tax to laundry
and dry-cleaning services, as well as storage and other services,
and raises $54 million in cable and satellite TV taxes. Because the
income tax hike is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2017, personal income
taxpayers would pay an effective tax rate of 5.81 percent on their
earnings for the remainder of the year.
These tax hikes are in addition to Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation
property taxes – which lawmakers haven’t moved to cap or permanently
freeze – and offer nothing in the way of reform to the state’s
uncompetitive jobs climate.
Lawmakers haven’t passed a balanced budget in 16 years. Meanwhile,
Illinoisans are suffering under the highest tax burden in the nation
and are clamoring for serious economic reforms, but lawmakers show
more concern for fish dinners over taxpayers.
Instead of debating the authenticity of seafood menu items, Illinois
lawmakers should get to work on a real balanced budget that offers
the foundational reforms the state needs, doesn’t raise taxes and
offers real hope for struggling Illinoisans.
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