HR0567LRB100 13723 MST 28444 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The taxpayers of the State of Illinois are
3currently facing a tremendous financial hardship due to the
4ever-increasing tax burden that is being placed upon them;
5homeowners and business owners are fleeing this State in order
6to escape the dismal economic climate; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Illinois has the second-highest property taxes in
8the country, and adding to this, the General Assembly recently
9approved a 32% increase in the income tax rate, in addition to
10adding a back-door sales tax increase to E10 gasoline, which
11will have a negative impact on families across this State; and
 
12    WHEREAS, In addition to the State creating a difficult
13financial situation for taxpayers, certain local units of
14government are exacerbating the problem; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a
16sweetened-beverage tax on November 10, 2016 (Ordinance Number
1716-5931) that, beginning July 1, 2017, would impose a
18sweetened-beverage tax at the rate of one cent per ounce on
19sweetened-beverages, including soda, fountain drinks, certain
20sweetened juices, ready-to-drink sweetened coffee drinks, and
21sports and energy drinks, purchased in Cook County; and
 

 

 

HR0567- 2 -LRB100 13723 MST 28444 r

1    WHEREAS, The tax is unnecessary and injurious to Illinois
2families that are already facing difficult economic times; and
 
3    WHEREAS, This tax negatively impacts the State's economy by
4directly hurting the Illinois beverage industry; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The sweetened-beverage tax has been the subject of
6much public criticism and legal challenge; businesses have
7challenged the legality of the law (both under the uniformity
8clause of the Illinois Constitution and its overly vague
9construction); while the legal challenge brought forth delayed
10the implementation of the tax, the ordinance went into effect
11on August 2, 2017; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14strongly oppose the imposition of the sweetened-beverage tax
15and urge the Cook County Board of Commissioners to immediately
16repeal the sweetened-beverage tax for its negative effect on
17the already over-taxed residents of Cook County.