Thursday, November 30, 2006
Chicago Sun-Times
by DAVE MCKINNEY Sun-Times Springfield Bureau Chief

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois House on Wednesday rejected a plan designed to blunt steeply rising property taxes in Chicago and Cook County suburbs but moved to boost the paychecks of the working poor.
The legislative chamber also backed a DuPage County drive to permit counties outside Cook to raise cigarette taxes $2 a pack but balked at Gov. Blagojevich's bid to raise $7 million to repay the federal government for job-training funds misspent by the state.
On a hectic legislative day, the initiative to extend a 7 percent cap on property tax assessments in Cook County fell far short of passing.
The proposal got 61 votes when 71 were necessary for passage, as suburban Republicans and several black, south suburban and Downstate Democrats nixed the extension.
Minimum wage hike backed
Three years ago, prodded by Cook County Assessor James Houlihan, the state limited increases in assessed value to 7 percent a year and capped savings for any one homeowner at $20,000. That law expires at the end of this year, leaving Cook County homeowners facing sharply increased property tax bills. Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), the chief House sponsor, said the median increase would total 36 percent if the extension isn't enacted -- a boost that could tack thousands of dollars more on to some property tax bills.
"This is for regular people who own small homes, own bungalows, who live in our communities. They need a little help," he said.
But opponents argued that seniors might pay more and wealthy homeowners less under an extension, while cash-strapped schools would be hurt if property tax growth is artificially curtailed.
"This is a reverse Robin Hood by taxing the poor and giving it to the rich," said Rep. Edwin Sullivan (R-Mundelein), Fremont Township assessor.
Houlihan was not behind Wednesday's House proposal. A spokesman said he favors Senate-passed legislation now bottled up in the House that would raise the maximum savings from $20,000 to $60,000. Wednesday's bill kept the existing $20,000 limit in place.
Lang said he intends to seek another vote on his proposal in January. Then, only 60 House votes will be necessary for passage.
On other fronts:
•   •   The House overwhelmingly sided with a boost in the state's $6.50-an-hour minimum wage to $8.25 an hour by 2010. That proposal, sponsored by Rep. Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago), passed 74-43 and now heads to the Senate, where a vote on the measure could take place today.
Contributing: Chris Fusco

THE VOTE
Here's how the Illinois House voted Tuesday on a failed proposal to blunt huge increases in property tax bills in the city and Cook County suburbs by extending an expiring 7-percent cap on assessments. Seventy-one votes were necessary for passage.
YES (61)
Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago), Suzanne Bassi (R-Palatine), Maria Berrios (D-Chicago), Bill Black (R-Danville), John Bradley (D-Marion), Richard Bradley (D-Chicago), Jim Brosnahan (D-Oak Lawn), Dan Burke (D-Chicago), Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora), Michelle Chavez (D-Cicero), Annazette Collins (D-Chicago), Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago), Elizabeth Coulson (R-Glenview), Shane Cultra (R-Onarga), Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), John D’Amico (D-Chicago), Monique Davis (D-Chicago), William Delgado (D-Chicago), Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago), Tom Durkin (R-Western Springs), Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), John Fritchey (D-Chicago), Paul Froehlich (R-Schaumburg), Calvin Giles (D-Chicago), Esther Golar (D-Chicago), Deborah Graham (D-Chicago), Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), Gary Hannig (D-Litchfield), Brent Hassert (R-Romeoville), Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), Constance Howard (D-Chicago), Elga Jefferies (D-Chicago), Charles Jefferson (D-Rockford), Kevin Joyce (D-Chicago), Carolyn Krause (R-Mount Prospect), Lou Lang (D-Skokie), Joseph Lyons (D-Chicago), Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), Sidney Mathias (R-Buffalo Grove), Karen May (D-Highland Park), Michael McAuliffe (R-Chicago), Jack McGuire (D-Joliet), Larry McKeon (D-Chicago), Susana Mendoza (D-Chicago), Jim Meyer (R-Naperville), Robert Molaro (D-Chicago), Rosemary Mulligan (R-Des Plaines), Ruth Munson (R-Elgin), Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook), Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), Terry Parke (R-Hoffman Estates), Brandon Phelps (D-Norris City), Sandra Pihos (R-Glen Ellyn), Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville), Kathleen Ryg (D-Vernon Hills), Angelo Saviano (R-Elmwood Park), Cynthia Soto (D-Chicago), Ron Stephens (R-Greenville), Karen Yarbrough (D-Chicago), Wyvetter Younge (D-East St. Louis)
NO (54)
Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills), Daniel Beiser (D-Alton), Patricia Bellock (R-Hinsdale), Robert Biggins (R-Elmhurst), Mike Boland (D-East Moline), Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro), Dan Brady (R-Bloomington), Rich Brauer (R-Petersburg), Robert Churchill (R-Lake Villa), Tom Cross (R-Oswego), Lee Daniels (R-Elmhurst), William Davis (D-Hazel Crest), Lisa Dugan (D-Kankakee), Joe Dunn (R-Naperville), Roger Eddy (R-Hutsonville), Robert Flider (D-Mt. Zion), Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), Careen Gordon (D-Coal City), Kurt Granburg (D-Centralia), Tom Holbrook (D-Belleville), Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana), Roger Jenisch (R-Bloomingdale), Robin Kelly (D-Matteson), Renee Kosel (R-New Lenox), David Leitch (R-Peoria), Patricia Reid Lindner (R-Aurora), Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley), Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park), David Miller (D-Dolton), Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth), Jerry Mitchell (R-Sterling), Don Moffitt (R-Gilson), Richard Myers (R-Colchester), Joann Osmond (R-Antioch), Raymond Poe (R-Springfield), Robert Pritchard (R-Hinckley), Harry Ramey (R-Carol Stream), David Reis (R-Sainte Marie), Robert Rita (D-Blue Island), Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), Jim Sacia (R-Pecatonica), Tim Schmitz (R-Batavia), Aaron Schock (R-Peoria), George Scully (D-Flossmoor), Michael Smith (D-Canton), Keith Sommer (R-Morton), Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein), Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), Michael Tryon (R-Crystal Lake), Art Turner (D-Chicago), Patrick Verschoore (D-Milan), Ron Wait (R-Belvidere), Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville), David Winters (R-Shirland).
PRESENT (1)
Eddie Washington (D-Waukegan)