SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Senate on Saturday pushed through the largest tax hike in state history, despite opposition from State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), all Republican lawmakers and a handful of Democrats.

The $7 billion tax hike, contained in House Bill 174, would raise the income tax rate from 3 percent to 5 percent – a 67 percent increase. It also imposes 39 new taxes on a wide range of services, including dry cleaning, bowling, pet grooming, amusement parks admissions, oil changes, and movie theaters.

“This tax hike will devastate working families who are already struggling to survive the economic slump,” Syverson said. “Not only will they face higher income taxes, but many of their everyday activities will also cost more. We should be doing more to help families and taxpayers, rather than slapping them with draconian tax hikes.”

Syverson noted the tax hike vote came without any prior spending cuts or fiscal reforms. As a member of the Senate’s Deficit Reform Committee, Syverson looked at various ways to cut spending and reform the state budget, ranging from Medicaid reforms to government cost-savings.

“Citizens are rightly outraged by this proposed tax hike,” Syverson said. “Instead of cutting spending and reforming the state budget, just as families across Illinois have been forced to do, they are hinging this budget on new taxes. That’s unfair and an affront to the hard working people of the state.”

While the Illinois House has yet to act on the measure, Syverson noted that the major budget proposals being pushed by the chamber’s leadership also rely on tax hikes rather than fiscal reforms.

“Six years ago, I warned the state’s pattern of overspending would lead to a day of reckoning,” Syverson said. “Well, that day is finally here and instead of stepping up and making the hard fiscal choices that need to be made, the majority wants to hand taxpayers a $7 billion bill.”

SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) says state-line courts could get some extra help in expediting cases, under a measure passed by the Illinois Senate.

Senate Bill 1938, co-sponsored by Syverson, adds an associate judge to the 17th Circuit Judicial Court, which oversees cases in Winnebago and Boone counties.

Syverson said the legislation will help move cases forward and get defendants through the judicial system more quickly, giving relief to overloaded local courts and the county jail system.

“With the increased pressure on courts locally, there is clearly a need for additional assistance,” Syverson said. “This legislation provides for an extra judge for the Rockford area, and will give critical relief to a judicial system swamped by cases.”

The request for the additional judge came from Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen who, Syverson noted, helped make the case for the legislation.

“The Chairman was enormously helpful in getting this legislation passed,” Syverson said. “By providing lawmakers the number of cases facing Rockford courts, he made it clear just how much pressure our local judicial system is under. He also implemented crucial reforms demonstrating that the County has already been doing everything it can to cut the backlog.”

The legislation, having passed both Houses, now heads to the Governor.

The Rockford area would fare well under a statewide capital construction plan being developed by state lawmakers, according to State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford).

The Rockford Senator said many key state-line priorities would be funded under the proposal, which is in its final stages of discussions. Among the projects expected to be funded under the plan are reconstruction work on Illinois Route 173, North and South Main Street, West State Street and the Morgan Street bridge.

Further details of the plan are expected to be released in the next 24 to 48 hours.

“After six years of hard work and negotiation, we are finally on the verge of getting a comprehensive construction plan that will address many of the key infrastructure priorities of the Rockford area,” Syverson said. “This proposal will do more than repair our aging roads and bridges – it will also provide a jump-start to our economy and create tens of thousands of high quality jobs at a time they are desperately needed.”

In all, the proposed plan would fund about 60 projects in the Rockford area valued at more than $200 million. In addition to funding local road and bridge projects, the plan also includes money for a new classroom building at Rock Valley College and additional grant projects for school maintenance, parks and museums, mass transportation, community colleges and universities.

While Syverson says the plan isn’t perfect, he believes it’s a positive step for both the Rockford economy and local taxpayers.

“Under this plan, our area will see its key infrastructure needs addressed without job-killing income tax hikes and gas tax increases,” Syverson said. “That’s a win-win for the people of Winnebago County.”

The total proposed statewide construction plan amounts to about $30 billion, when federal stimulus dollars and the state’s five-year road plan are figured in.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers is urging the General Assembly to pass critical assistance for struggling manufacturers. On Tuesday, State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) joined Republican and Democratic legislators from around Illinois in calling for the restoration of $2 million in funds for the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center (IMEC), a non-profit organization that helps manufacturers contain costs, improve efficiency and create quality jobs.

“The manufacturers in my district are responding to today’s challenges by reinvesting in their people, processes and products to regain a competitive advantage,” said Syverson, a member of the bipartisan Manufacturing Caucus. “But many also need help to be successful. As legislators, one of our jobs is to help create the conditions necessary for businesses and citizens to succeed. I can’t think of a better way to do that than by supporting an organization that is helping manufacturers to become more efficient and competitive.”

Syverson noted that companies assisted by IMEC achieve productivity gains four times greater than firms that don’t receive similar help. Independent studies have also shown that every dollar the state invests in IMEC generates an additional four dollars in tax revenue for Illinois.

IMEC had been funded every year by the General Assembly since 1996, until last year, when $2 million in funding was vetoed by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

“We strongly feel that was a mistake,” Syverson said. “Funding IMEC will help manufacturers and help our state’s economy when we need it most. In addition, this is an organization that more than pays for itself, with the state getting back four dollars for every dollar invested.”

Joining Syverson in calling for the restoration of the IMEC funding are Senators A.J. Wilhelmi (D-Joliet), Larry Bomke (R-Springfield), Deanna Demuzio (D-Carlinville), Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), and Dave Luechtefeld (R-Okawville), and Representatives Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley), Raymond Poe (R-Springfield), Pat Verschoore (D-Milan), David Leitch (R-Peoria) and Rich Brauer (R-Springfield).