HR0176 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0176 LRB102 17701 HLH 23669 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois residents have been facing one of the most difficult times in the State's history; and

WHEREAS, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March of 2020 and has now continued a year after the outset, Illinois families and businesses have had to make incredible sacrifices; the human and economic toll has been incredible; and

WHEREAS, throughout this ordeal, however, there has been one constant: resilience; though times have been very difficult, the ability for Illinois families and businesses to stay strong and overcome unbelievable obstacles has been extraordinary; and

WHEREAS, this Illinois resilience has been found in more than one way in the Illinois retail and restaurant sector; faced with enormous challenges, ranging from early closures due to stay-at-home orders, to struggling to open (or reopen) their doors and keep workers on the payroll, to paying the various taxes, fees, and other forms of costs incurred through the normal course of doing business in this State, Illinois retailers and restaurants (and the many small businesses that make-up these sectors) have been there to support Illinois families with stocked shelves, warm food, and other provisions that have been essential to the resilience exhibited by people of this State; and

WHEREAS, now more than ever, with an economy slowly seeing glimpses of a return to normalcy, State government should do anything within its power to ensure that Illinois businesses have the ability to come back stronger than ever in order to get the economy back on track; and

WHEREAS, instead of hearing this message, there are renewed calls to enact legislation that punishes Illinois businesses; one such proposal would take away the vendor's discount; the vendor's discount authorizes a retailer to retain a portion of the use and occupation taxes they collect as reimbursement for the retailers' cost of complying with those taxes on behalf of the State and units of local government; and

WHEREAS, the vendor's discount is a fair provision found in State law that is in line with similar provisions which allow the Department of Revenue to retain a portion of sales taxes collected and remitted to units of local government; and

WHEREAS, in a time when retailers and restaurants in this State need the support of the State in order to help stimulate the economy back to pre-pandemic levels, proposals such as the reduction or elimination of the vendor's discount run counter to that goal; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we state our belief that no reduction or elimination of the vendor's discount be enacted; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the President and Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate.