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DeLuca Introduces Bill to Return Tax Dollars to Local Communities


Anthony DeLuca
(PHOTO SUPPLIED)

Chicago Heights, IL-(ENEWSPF)- State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, chairman of the House Cities and Villages Committee and former mayor of Chicago Heights, recently introduced legislation to return more state income tax revenue to local communities.

“Families and local businesses continue to struggle to make ends meet,” said DeLuca. “Local governments are continually looking to develop plans to attract jobs and improve the quality of life for residents and they should not be shortchanged from the state revenue available to help them operate.”

House Bill 3750 would return 10% instead of the current 6% of state income tax revenue immediately back to local governments. Prior to the 2011 income tax increase, local governments received about 10% of income tax revenue. DeLuca’s bill would ensure that at least 10% would be transferred each year to the Local Government Distributive Fund.

Municipalities and counties face similar financial strains on their budgets as the state has experienced over the past decade. In 2011, the income tax rate was increased; however, the percentage of the collected income tax shared with municipalities and counties was lowered from 10% to 6%. Since the income tax rate has increased, the state‘s annual tax collection has increased by $8.5 billion while the local share has only increased by $200 million. If the local portion remained at 10%, communities and counties would have had an additional $900 million to spend on protecting its citizens, improving roads and other infrastructure services.

“This will allow local governments to have access to the funds they deserve to address the issues that are affecting our communities,” said DeLuca. “Local residents should not continue to suffer from decades of bad leadership and poor fiscal management at the state level. It’s important for local governments to be able to remove the burden of the state’s fiscal crisis and offer the services that we all depend on.”

For more information or state-related questions please contact DeLuca’s full-time constituent service office at 708-754-7900 or email [email protected]


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