Newsroom

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Continuing their annual tradition, the Illinois Senate Democrats advanced another unbalanced budget in hopes of getting a massive tax increase enacted into law, according to State Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo).

The Senate majority used their numbers to advance an income tax hike which would raise personal rates to 4.95 percent and corporate rates to 7 percent.  The same budget proposal also short changed the FY 2018 pension payment, further jeopardizing the state’s massive, underfunded pension systems. 

The income tax increase was coupled with a new taxation on everyday services such as dry-cleaning, body modification, cable & satellite services, streaming internet entertainment packages, and a host of other personal services. 

Senator Schimpf, who was prepared to work through Memorial Day Weekend, also expressed his frustration that the Senate Democratic majority cancelled session days at the end of the week rather than continue negotiations on pro-business reforms or begin work on a measure to provide desperately needed stopgap funding to schools, universities, and social service agencies.

Unfunded Mandate Studies

This week the Illinois House passed Senate Bill 2066, which, if signed by Governor Rauner, would require the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to publish cost estimates highlighting the impact of unfunded mandates on local governments. 

The Illinois Municipal League identified more than 266 new unfunded state mandates imposed on their members since 1982.  With nearly 7,000, Illinois contains more units of local government than any other state in the nation.   The bill had previously passed the Illinois Senate with Senator Schimpf as its Chief Co-sponsor.

Brockmeyer Memorialized

Senate Joint Resolution 22 unanimously passed the Illinois Senate this week.  Senator Schimpf introduced and secured passage of the resolution, which names a portion of Illinois Route 3 in downtown Chester after fallen Officer James I. Brockmeyer.  Officer Brockmeyer's family was able to sit with Senator Schimpf during passage of the resolution.  The resolution places appropriate signage renaming the state highway after the officer who was killed in the line of duty on October 28, 2016.