Kendall County Times

Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said a bill that provides temporary tax breaks will be ineffective once the breaks expire.

"Nothing is going to change. We're just moving the speed bump from the summer to after the election. That's what's happening here. Let's be honest here," Rezin said from the Senate floor on April 9. "And what's frustrating for us is my colleagues who talked about the budget on the other side and all of the good things in it – and there are good things in it and I appreciate that. But what's frustrating for us is to see a billion dollars in additional capital projects paid with federal dollars and they're not in any of our districts on this side. None of them. So that's a billion dollars in our opinion that instead of being used on member projects on that side for capital projects could have been used to put against this deficit."  

Senate Bill 157, which lays out revenue-related measures and the tax relief proposal, passed the Senate with near unanimous support, and the House unanimously on April 9. But Republicans are not really happy with the bill.

The main aim of SB 157 was to give some tax relief amid inflation. However, the tax breaks are not permanent. 

"Supporting this package of tax breaks is the right thing to do as we fight the effects of inflation that is continuing to run rampant," Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Harrisburg) said, the Metropolis Planet reported. "The sales tax on gas disproportionately hurts the middle class and those that live in rural areas. Those in rural areas drive 20 to 30 miles a day and more to get to work, go to the doctor and more. When people in rural areas have to go somewhere, we have to drive. Because of Illinois' oppressive tax structure, we have to pay for gas, and we pay a lot. Sometimes up to 70 cents per gallon more than other states. We should limit, suspend or permanently eliminate the sales tax on gasoline to provide lasting relief."

Senate Bill 157 also creates the Manufacturing Illinois Chips for Real Opportunity (MICRO) Act, which was a big selling point for Republican legislators. MICRO will create tax incentives for manufacturers of semiconductors, microchips or semiconductor or microchip component parts.