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HOUSE RESOLUTION 854


 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois retail industry is one of Illinois' 
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chief creators of jobs, with more than 608,000 Illinoisans 
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working in retail trade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau; 
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and 

 
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    WHEREAS, Sales taxes paid by retailers on purchases of 
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taxable goods and services in Illinois are a vital component of 
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the State's budget, with the Illinois Economic and Fiscal 
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Commission projecting Illinois State sales tax revenues of more 
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than $7.3 billion in FY04; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois retail industry and the sales taxes 
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it pays are under threat from some out-of-state retailers who 
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ship goods into Illinois without collecting Illinois sales 
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taxes on goods meant for use in Illinois; and


 
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    WHEREAS, Many out-of-state retailers are facing up to their 
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responsibility to levy and forward sales taxes on goods meant 
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for use in Illinois; and


 
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    WHEREAS, FurnitureLand South of Jamestown, North Carolina, 
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which bills itself as "the world's largest home furnishings 
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showplace", has started collecting sales and use taxes on 
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products that  it sells to consumers in 26 to 30 states; and


 
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    WHEREAS, Jason Harris, executive vice president of 
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FurnitureLand South, has told "Furniture Today," a trade 
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periodical, that FurnitureLand South eventually plans to 
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collect sales taxes for all 45 states with a sales tax; and


 
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    WHEREAS, Many other furniture retailers with substantial 
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sales across state lines do not yet collect Illinois sales and 
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use taxes for sales made to customers within Illinois, despite 
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Illinois laws requiring the payment of these taxes when an 
 


 






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article is purchased for use within Illinois; therefore, be it


 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that we 
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urge FurnitureLand South to collect sales taxes upon furniture 
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sold to customers for use within Illinois; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That we urge all other retailers, especially but 
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not limited to furniture retailers, to collect sales taxes upon 
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goods and taxable services intended for use within Illinois; 
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and be it further


 
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    RESOLVED, That we urge the Department of Revenue to take 
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additional steps to improve the collection of sales taxes upon 
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out-of-state goods intended for use within Illinois; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That we urge Governor Rod Blagojevich to allocate 
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sufficient funds and personnel resources, within the 
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Department of Revenue, to maximize State sales tax revenues, 
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provide for the cash flow that the State needs to perform its 
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vital duties, and maintain a level playing field between 
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out-of-state retailers and retailers that do business and 
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employ personnel within the State of Illinois; and be it 
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further




 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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delivered to the Governor of the State of Illinois, the 
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Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue, and A. Darrell 
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Harris, President of FurnitureLand South, Inc. of Jamestown, 
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North Carolina.