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sTaTe

Senate Democrats introduce mostly temporary $1.8 billion tax relief proposal

by JeRRy noWIcKI

Capitol News Illinois

Democrats in the Illinois Senate on Friday announced a $1.8 billion package of mostly temporary tax relief proposals that they hope to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget as the legislative session enters its final week.

The package is $800 million beyond the tax relief package proposed by Gov. JB Pritzker in his budget in February, although it includes many of the same tax reductions backed by the governor. The measures are contained in eight amendments to Senate Bill 1150.

The measures include direct checks to Illinoisans, a 10-day stay on taxes on schools supplies and qualifying clothing, and a sixmonth stay on the grocery tax and a motor fuel tax increase, among others.

Lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn on April 8, with the budget being the main proposal that still needs to be wrapped up. It needs approval from both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor.

Pritzker’s office said it will review the plan, while Republicans called it an election-year gimmick.

Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, one of the lead budgeteers in the Senate, said the tax relief was made possible by unspecified “additional revenues” made available in the budget.

“As we were going through the budgeting process, additional revenues had been made available,” he said. “And we we’ve looked at those revenues. We looked at the governor’s budget that was proposed in February, there was a billion dollars in tax relief that was planned there.

So the tax relief that was planned, we’ve built on that, based on the new revenues which are available.”

Sims said only that the revenues were “identified from all sources” based on “a rebounding economy.”

Last month the Department of Revenue testified in committee that Illinois took in $4.6 billion more than expected in the current fiscal year that ends June 30, due largely to pandemic-related changes in consumer spending, although Pritzker included that revenue spike in his February budget plan.

IDOR also warned that the ongoing war in Ukraine could have an impact on revenues for the remainder of the current fiscal year and next. And some of the current-year surplus was spent on $1.4 billion in debt reduction in a measure passed last week that also addressed debt in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.

The plan announced Friday would include one-time direct checks to Illinoisans. Those earning less than $250,000 in 2021 would receive a $100 check, while joint filers earning less than $500,000 would receive $200. Checks would include an extra $50 per dependent, up to three dependents.

Lawmakers said the hope would be that the checks would be distributed by September, although they said the date was based on immediate taxpayer relief, not on the fact that an election is upcoming in November.

Taxpayers would not need to take action to receive the checks. Anyone who is eligible based on their 2021 return would be sent a check.

Other programs include a sixmonth suspension on the state’s 1

percent grocery tax, as well as a sixmonth stay on the inflationary adjustment to the motor fuel tax. That equates to keeping the motor fuel tax at its current level rather than increasing it by 2-3 cents.

Democrats are also proposing to increase the state Earned Income Tax Credit by a percentage point, raising it to 19 percent of the federal tax credit. The EITC is a credit available to low- and moderate-income households. It is a refundable credit, meaning those who qualify can receive a refund, even if the amount of the credit exceeds what they would otherwise owe in taxes.

Another proposal would allow for a tax credit up to $300 for homeowners who earn less than $250,000 individually or $500,000 jointly. The credit would be 5 percent of property tax paid, up to $300.

Another measure gets rid of the sales tax on school supplies from Aug. 5 to Aug. 14 this year. The tax moratorium would also apply to qualifying clothing and footwear items up to $125 per item.

It would also give teachers a tax credit up to $300 beginning in tax

year 2023, up from $250 the current tax year, for supplies purchased for their classrooms and a $500 credit for volunteer firefighters and EMS who held those positions for at least nine months in the tax year.

The sponsors said those credits would be permanent.

“We look forward to reviewing this proposal,” Pritzker’s spokesperson said in a statement. “Our conversations with members of the General Assembly in both chambers have been productive, and we will continue to focus on delivering fiscally responsible relief for working families.”

Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, issued a statement criticizing the proposal’s temporary nature.

“The Senate Democrats’ proposal appears to be just another election year stunt,” he said in a statement. “Under their plan, checks and relief will arrive right before the election and then will expire right after the election. This is not the real reform the people of this state want and need, and Illinoisans will see right through this disingenuous gimmick.”

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cooK counTy

Flight attendant charged with possession of child pornography A 39-year-old flight attendant has been charged with possession of child pornography for allegedly sending and receiving sexually explicit images and videos of children under the age of 13 on his cellphone, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Police Special Victims Unit linked Adam Schall, formerly of Skokie, to multiple images and videos of child pornography found on a social media account in connection with a separate child pornography investigation that was initiated from

a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children cyber tip.

On Wednesday, March 29, SVU Investigators learned Schall, who works as a flight attendant and now lives in Pewaukee, WI, was arriving at O’Hare International Airport where he was later taken into custody for investigation.

After he was advised of his Miranda Rights, Schall said he used social media to view child pornography.

Upon further investigation, investigators determined he shared additional images and videos of children

as young as infants while living in Skokie and discovered thousands of child pornography files on his multiple social media accounts.

On Friday, April 1, Schall appeared in the Rolling Meadows Courthouse where he was issued a $10,000 DBond on charges of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony.

He was released after posting the required 10 percent of his bond.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.

Business | Wealth Management | Personal

LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF WISCONSIN, CIRCUIT COURT, ASHLAND COUNTY Amended Publication Notice Harassment Injunction Hearing Case No. 2022CV000016 Petitioner: Jada Bratley -vsRespondent: Mickey McElligot A harassment temporary restraining order was issued on [Date] March, 4th 2022 against

Nationally Recognized.

Locally Invested.

Since 1868.

[Name of Respondent] Mickey McElligot .

A hearing on the petition to grant a harassment injunction will be held on [Date] March 28th 2022 at [Time] 8:30 AM , at the Ashland County Courthouse, Ashland , Wisconsin, in room 303 , before Kelly McKnight , Court Official.

TO THE RESPONDENT: If you fail to appear at the hearing, the relief requested will be granted.

(Published March 24, 2022)

busey.com/chicagoland Member FDIC

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WILL counTy

Joliet Jr. College adds eight new sports to athletic department Joliet Junior College Director of Athletics Gregg Braun has announced the addition of eight new sport programs to the Wolves athletic department.

The new programs will be men’s and women’s bowling, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s volleyball and competitive cheerleading. Growing the athletic opportunities is an investment in the community, and strengthens relationships with district high schools by providing opportunities for all in-district studentathletes to compete at the collegiate level. The additional sports will welcome 70-90 new student-athletes annually.

“This has been a collaborative effort with the support of President Dr. Judy Mitchell, Executive Vice President Dr. Yolanda Farmer and Dean of Student Success Dr. Angela Kaysen-Luzbetak, along with the approval from the Board of Trustees, “ Braun said.

Competitive cheerleading and track and field will begin with the 2022-23 school year, with the possibility of men’s volleyball also starting next year. Bowling and golf would begin with the 202324 school year. These new sports are extremely popular within JJC’s in-district high schools and the state of Illinois.

The area that JJC serves has also had success at the state competition level in these sports. Over 60% of JJC’s area high schools have all of these sports in their athletic departments. Competitive cheer and men’s volleyball are emerging

sports for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The organization began formally recognizing them in the fall of 2021 when enough colleges committed to forming programs, allowing the NJCAA to grant sponsored sport status and provide championship events.

“This is an exciting step for us to better serve our high school student-athletes in our district and provide more resources to them to get a great education while continuing pursuing the sports they love while attending JJC,” Braun said.

“The Wolves family is growing! The JJC student-athlete experience is extraordinary,” Kaysen Luzbetak said.

“Top-notch staff, coaches and support resources are in place to ensure our stu-

dent-athlete success. I am thrilled to see new students join us and become part of our journey, embrace our rich history and contribute to the future of this program and institution.”

Recognized as the nation’s first community college, Joliet Junior College currently offers athletic opportunities in baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s wrestling.

The college’s athletics department is dedicated to assisting student-athletes in academic, athletic and personal development, and committed to excellence, integrity, fairness, good sportsmanship and competitiveness in support of and alliance with the mission of the college.

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