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February 25, 2010
Volume 24 - Issue 6
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CICI GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING - MARCH 11
On March 11, CICI will be hosting a General Membership meeting to specifically focus on the potential shutdown of the Chicago locks and what we can do to stop the closure. Arguably the greatest threat to the long-term viability of many chemical facilities and storage terminals is the potential closure of access to Lake Michigan from the Chicago waterways.
It’s been estimated that over $17 billion worth (including $2 billion of chemicals) of product annually moves along the Chicago waterways. Many CICI members are located along the Chicago waterways, the Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers specifically because of barge access to the Great Lakes and Mississippi River.
At the meeting, we’ll have Bill Bolen of USEPA Region V who has a considerable authority on this issue as well as representatives from the US Coast Guard and American Waterways Operators (Barges) Association.
In addition, the meeting will also cover OSHA’s Global Harmonization Effort for labeling and classification of chemicals & OSHA’s National Emphasis Program; Overview of DHS’s new Personnel Surety Requirements; and Hidden Agendas: How Dubious Motives Can Lurk Behind Environmental Issues. There will also be an afternoon Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee meeting, which will cover many political, legislative, and regulatory issues the industry is facing.
For more information and to register, follow this link:
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SINGLE SALES FACTOR, BPA MAY BE CALLED NEXT WEEK
A couple of onerous measures for the chemical industry are due to be called in committee when the legislature returns next week and CICI needs your help in defeating these proposals.
Single Sales Factor (Corporate Income Tax Change)
The bill to eliminate the singles sales factor has been assigned to the Senate Revenue Committee and could be called for a hearing next week. This measure, SB 3257 (Sandoval, D-Cicero), apportions business income, for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2010, by using a 3-factor formula of property, payroll, and sales. Currently, business income is only apportioned through a single sales factor. This change has been estimated to cost the state’s business community approximately $70 million a year. This bill is especially damaging for manufacturers with a significant Illinois presence.
BPA Ban
Two other onerous measures that CICI has been fighting for the past few years would ban bisphenol A (polycarbonate plastic) and will most likely be heard in the House Youth and Family Committee and in the Senate Consumer Protection Committee next Thursday.
These particular measures, HB 6088 (Nekritz, D-Northbrook) in the House and SB 3750 (Kotowski, D-Park Ridge) in the Senate, ban, beginning June 1, 2011, bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles, sippy cups, infant formula and containers, and other various containers like sports bottles and thermoses. The bill also requires labeling of all other containers like canned food and beverages if they have a BPA lining. The FDA has consistently said that these products are safe for use and have taken no action to ban, restrict or even label these products.
While your company or your facility may not make or even use BPA, to ban this benign, ubiquitous, and most widely studied and tested product on the market, leaves no one’s products safe. Yours could be next.
Clicking on the Representatives or Senators name will give you their contact information. If any of these Representatives or Senators represents your facilities, call all them in either their Springfield or district office and ask them to vote NO if and when the proposal is brought up in committee. If you do not know who your State Representative or Senator is, follow this link and enter your facilities address: http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx |
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GOVERNOR QUINN CALLS FOR HIGHER TAXES, CUTS
Governor Quinn this week called on the Illinois House to consider a plan, HB 174 (Miller, D-Chicago), already passed by the Senate last year, that would increase the personal income tax rate from 3% to 5% and corporate income tax rate from 7.3% to 7.5%, including the personal property replacement tax. This measure also extends the state sales tax to numerous services, including warehousing/storage, membership fees in private clubs, laundry services, dry cleaning, video rentals, etc. The bill also increases the residential real property tax credit from 5% to 10%, increases the education expense credit from $500 to $1,000, and increases the earned income tax credit from 5% of the federal tax credit to 15%. It’s estimated that this tax plan could bring in as much as $7 billion in new revenue.
Quinn also said getting more revenue is just one of four things the state must do to weather the state’s budget deficit that could reach $13 billion this year. Budget cuts, borrowing money and getting as much federal money as possible are the other three objectives. The cuts include $2.2 billion from next year's budget, but that would still leave the state with a $11.5 billion hole. Quinn also wants lawmakers to consider borrowing $250 million for health care to activate more federal matching funds and let universities borrow to pay their bills. The budget may also include making about $4 billion in pension payments next year to the state's underfunded retirement plans.
Quinn’s budget office launched a web site this week that lets people get a close-up look at the state’s finances. Quinn’s office also wants to hear from you as you can register your thoughts through the site. A video message from Quinn’s budget director David Vaught asks voters if the state should cut money for education to give more to health care or if both should be cut so it can be spent on new road construction. It also wants to know if people want to raise taxes and by how much. Follow this link to the website: http://www2.illinois.gov/budget/Pages/default.aspx.
Quinn will deliver his annual budget address on Wednesday, March 10, where CICI will detail his plans in a following Legisletter. |
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CIVIC FEDERATION REPORT FOCUSES ON FISCAL REHABILITATION
Meanwhile, the Civic Federation this week released a report calling for a comprehensive package of budget cuts, pension reforms, and revenue increases to put the state on a solid fiscal foundation.
The report first calls for reforms of its retirement systems, including reduced benefits for new employees. Secondly, the report suggest the state rollback its funding levels to the 2007 fiscal year, cutting at least $2.5 billion, with exceptions for Medicaid and general state aid for education.
When – and only when – these steps are taken does the report call for increases in the individual income tax from 3% to 5% and the business income tax from 4.8% to 6.4%. This alone would raise $6 billion in new revenue.
The report also suggests repealing the income tax exemption for federally taxed portions of retirement and social security income to raise $1.6 billion at the new income tax rate of 5%. Other proposed measures in the report include increasing employee contributions to pension and health insurance, as well as business tax changes and a cigarette tax increase.
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BRADY TO SPEAK AT CICI LEGISLATIVE DAY – APRIL 27
State Senator and likely GOP Candidate for Governor Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) will be the luncheon speaker this year. Senator Brady will discuss the state’s finances, its business climate, and his campaign for Governor.
This event is a great opportunity to mingle and get to know the key people in state government, like members of the Illinois General Assembly, Constitutional Officers, IEPA officials, the members of the Pollution Control Board, and other key government officials. At the 2009 reception, close to 200 legislators and government officials attended. Come thank those elected officials who are friends of the chemical industry.
The President Abraham Lincoln Hotel has a discounted block of rooms reserved for CICI. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel at 1-866-788-1860. CICI’s block of rooms will be available until Monday, April 5, 2010, so please make your reservations accordingly.
Please note that the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois Legislator is not intended to convey legal advice or set forth all legal requirements applicable to particular circumstances.
Headquarters: 1400 E. TOUHY AVE., SUITE 110, DES PLAINES, IL 60018 · TEL :(847) 544-5995 · FAX :(847) 544-5999
Springfield: 400 W. MONROE, SUITE 205, SPRINGFIELD, IL 62704 · TEL :(217) 522-5805 · FAX :(217) 522-5815
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