samalw

March 13, 2010

Hello Pete!

I'm surprised to even see a re-introduction of this bill but I guess I shouldn't be since it's all BS politics as usual, support the troops until they're vets, rah, rah...blah...blah...blah. But I'll do everything possible AGAIN to push these self-serving deadbeats as much as possible. Madigan killed it last time by simply ignoring it (or whatever they call his option to do so when it ends up on his desk). Who re-elects this a'hole????? And when did he get so much power???? I'd be in South Carolina already, never once looking back, if it weren't for this housing market! IL is #6 behind NV, CA, AZ, FL and MI.

I'm sure Quinn, in his inimitable 5th grade level way, will explain to the entire poplulus of the state that we must all pull together, no one left behind (GMAFB!!!), etc., etc. as he pushes his TAX INCREASE!!! So veterans must continue to sacrifice. BS! I'm glad to see Brady has the Republican nomination. I hope he kicks Quinn out but in this Dem state...I doubt it. It's just amazing that people keep election such buffoons!!!

March 27, 2009

That doesn't surprise me. Illinois is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO broke - and the decline in property value in many areas is already going to cause Illinois to take a hit in property tax revenue.

But hopefully, with the strong support the bill has - it will be one of the FIRST bills passed when bills start getting passed.

Free

Illinois is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO crooked!!!!!!!!! How is IL going to get "hit in property tax revenue" when the tax values have NOT gone down???????????????????? These SOBS could care less about veterans much less disabled veterans. I didn't even get a reply to my fax/email to our newest member of self-serving elite, Mr. Dan Grant, the new "head" of the IL DAV. Thanks Danny boy!!!! Screw 'em all. I will NEVER vote for an incumbent EVER again in this God forsaken state. As soon as my house value comes close to what it was (if that ever happens, thanks to the B. Hussein types and his loans to deadbeats aka the Community Reinvestment Act), I'm out of here!!! I've never seen a more corrupt piece of geography in the United States than this thug run cesspool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

February 16, 2009

Grace,

From the ilga.gov website, the Property Tax subcommittee is composed of just three members. Seems like a really small committee to make any big decision:

http://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/membe...D=797&GA=96

Sub-Chairperson: Frank J. Mautino D

Member: Linda Chapa LaVia D

Member: Ed Sullivan, Jr. R

February 12, 2009

Pete,

Since my rep, Rep. Suzanne Bassi is on the committee, I'm going to e-mail her asking the status of the bill. Can't hurt.

Al

February 11, 2009

Five more co-sponsors of HB0273 signed on today. The total is now 65. Don't know the results of today's scheduled hearing of this bill in the IL Revenue & Finance Committee yet.

February 10, 2009

We now have 60 co-sponsors of HB0273 with 7 signing on today. This is a majority in the 118 member IL House of Representatives. Theoretically, it should pass the House. I suppose a committee could shoot it down. The Senate is going to be the tough nut to crack!!!!!

February 10, 2009

Pete,

The one person who doesn't have an e-mail address on the committee is Rep. LaVia. I faxed her my letter just minutes before she was added to the committee. We won't know 'til it's over.

Also, I had to dig to find Rep. Zalewski's e-mail address as it was not posted in the ilga.gov website. His address is: 'mikezalewski@gmail.com'

Keep plugging away!!!!

Al

February 10, 2009

I sent the following e-mail to all the members (including those added today) of the Revenue & Finance Committee:

Dear Rep.

____

Tomorrow, on February 11, 2009, HB0273 will come before you. This bill increases the property tax exemption for disabled veterans based on their percentage of disability.

No one is unaware of the dire economic times this country and its citizens are in now. My own representative, Rep. Suzzane Bassi, in response to my e-mail to her urging her support for HB0273 said, quote, "Maybe we can get it passed this time in both the House and the Senate. It may be a struggle since economic times are tough and everyone is broke, but I will do my best."

In these "tough economic times", should the deciding factor be lost revenue for government entities or should it be helping a most deserving small group of people who not only need help because of these "tough economic times" but need it due to a disability incurred while

serving their country?

When Gov. Blagojevich "rewrote" HB4201 last August to include a property tax exemption for Illinois's disabled veterans, the number it reportedly would have helped was 16,000. I submit to you that a property tax abatement for these disabled veterans, based on their percentage of disability, will be insignificant in its impact on tax revenue to the state of Illinois, its cities and

its counties.

President Obama visited Elkhart, IN on Monday and described the plight of its citizens as a result of the economy. He cited Elkhart, no fewer than five times during his prime time press conference Monday night, as an example of the absolute need for a stimulus package. Its citizens, like so many across America, are in desperate need of financial help. I ask you, what group is more deserving of financial help than disabled veterans? Disabled veterans will not benefit from these proposals which are designed to create jobs and provide income tax credits. We are not able to work or are limited by our disability in how much or what kind of work we can do. Disabled veterans are not as visible as the citizens gathered in a small town like Elkhart, IN. We are spread out all over the country and the state of Illinois. But we do vote and we are becoming more and more organized through coalitions of the various veterans' groups. We have to, to survive.

Please give serious consideration to HB0273 which would help improve the lives of Illinois's disabled veterans who have sacrificed so much for this country. Other states provide a 100% property tax exemption for disabled veterans as recognition of their sacrifice. Why can't Illinois?

I'll close with a quote from an unknown author…a quote used by Dan Grant during his introduction as the new Director of the Illinois Department of Veteran's Affairs…"A veteran, whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to, and including his

life."

Thank you for your support.

February 9, 2009

HB0273 now goes before the House Revenue & Finance Committee. The Hearing is on Feb 11, 2009 at 10:00 a.m., Capitol Building Room 115 Springfield, IL

This morning, for the first time, they have listed the members of this committee. Please contact these members urging them to support HB0273!!!!

Chairperson :John E. Bradley D

Vice-Chairperson :Frank J. Mautino D

Member:Linda Chapa LaVia D

Member:Barbara Flynn Currie D

Member:LaShawn K. Ford D

Member:Careen M Gordon D

Member:Arthur L. Turner D

Member:Michael J. Zalewski D

February 6, 2009

How is your HB0273 going, Illinois? Anyone making plans attend the committee meeting on February 11th? Is it going to be open to the citizens of Illinois. Are you allowed to testify before the committee? Maybe meet and greet a few lawmakers? Best wishes.

Good question, Bob! I was just about to post that we had 2 more co-sponsors sign on today for a total of 48 (49 with the original sponsor). The committee members for the Revenue & Finance Committee have not been posted yet so I don't know if the committee has even been formed. I would think it would have been. I will find out about the meeting and if testimony will be allowed.

Thanks for following this thread!

Al

February 5, 2009

5 more reps have signed on as co-sponsors today including my (and Grace's) rep, Rep. Suzanne Bassi.

February 5, 2009

For those of you willing to contact our Illinois congressmen to urge them to support HB0273, a bill introduced on 1/21/09 which will abate property tax for disabled veterans based on their percentage of disability, please see the attachment for e-mail addresses and fax numbers of each legislator. Thanks. We need your help!!!!

IL_Legislators_fax___e_mail.xls

February 5, 2009

Al,

Tried to send you an email, for some reason I cannot..
Question of the day???? The past IGA's (94th & 95th)
also had the exact same legislation as HB0273 (HB4197
in the 95th IGA) (HB4247 in the 94th IGA) and never got
passed the First Reading and ended up getting dropped at the
end of each session. What is your suggestion to overcome
this delemia, or to overcome it before it becomes
stagnet. Pls Assist!!!!
Thanxs
Pete

Pete, it's not encouraging that this same legislation failed in the two previous legislatures, especially now that the state is in a much worse economic situation. I can only hope that these congressmen have compassion for disabled veterans in these times and do the right thing. Someone recently said, "It's never about the money...it's about the money". When it comes to these sellouts we call politicians, especially in this state, I'm not optimistic. All we can do is keep the pressure on and add more pressure if we can come up with a way. Your adding the veterans groups you're a member of to your correspondence is a great way. Maybe an editorial to our newspapers is a way. The vets I gave copies of the bill to yesterday, seemed apathetic and less than enthused. Apathy is a huge problem. We can blame the politics of Illinois for this apathy on the part of the citizens. Hang in there!

Al

February 2, 2009

Hi Grace,

Small world indeed!!! I just sent Rep. Bassi a fax. Hope she responds.

Thanks for all you're doing!

Al

February 2, 2009

I just received a really nice letter in the mail from Representative Esther Golar (6th District) thanking me for taking the time to make known my concerns regarding HB073. Her last sentence says, "Rest assured that one of my highest priorities is making sure those who have served our country will be assisted to the fullest extent possible during these difficult economic times."

I can only hope my own representative is as responsive as Rep. Golar!!! I've heard nothing from my Rep. (Suzanne Bassi) so far.

February 2, 2009

FYI,

Here are a couple of lists of interest. Only *Verschoore* (so far) was a sponsor of HB4201 and is a sponsor of *HB0273*. It just shows it's a whole new ballgame with this new bill. I've gotten no replies from anyone on the nay list whatsoever.

Nay on HB4201

Cole

Currie

Eddy

Fortner

Fritchey

Mautino

Meyer

Miller

Osmond

Pihos

Riley

Yarbrough

Sponsor of HB4201

Sommer

*Verschoore*

Beiser

Phelps

Reitz

Washington

Jefferies

Boland

McGuire

Ford

January 30, 2009

Not sure I follow how to do it they way you posted so I'm just copying and pasting the text and adding the reps e-mail address. Take Care
Grace

Grace,

There are several ways to do and my way, which I got from the website below is just one and may not be the best. The website lists several ways.

http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/...dividually.html

Thanks and good luck!

Al

January 30, 2009

putintime,

I've e-mailed all 178 (the "IL gov" website shows 177 totals????) Senators and Representatives. I sent them as individual e-mails rather than multiple addressees to make them more personal. My message was the same but the greeting was personalized.

I'm using MS Outlook and it was somewhat easy to do using these steps:

1.) Create the e-mail you wish to send.

2.) From the PDF file of the "Illinois Handbook of Government", copy and paste an e-mail address into the address field.

3.) Type that Senator's or Representative's name into the greeting of the e-mail (Dear Senator ____ or Dear Representative ____) and send.

4.) For the next e-mail, open the "sent" e-mail. On the tool bar click on "Action", then on "Resend This Message".

5.) You can then copy and paste the next address (from the PDF file) into the address field and the name of that representative into the greeting.

4.) Repeat 178 (177???) times.

After the first e-mail the only thing you have to copy and paste is the new e-mail address. The only additional typing is the individual's name. After you get the hang of it, it becomes easy. Monotonous but easy.

I hope they read their e-mails! If/when the bill passes the House, I will repeat with another round of e-mails and faxes to the Senators.

January 30, 2009

Justme,

I'm new to this process to but this link from the handbook and the pdf file might shed some light:

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publicat...l_is_passed.pdf

Al

January 29, 2009

putintime,

Mail just came and the handbook you mailed was there. Thanks much! I've been at it all day...faxes and e-mails.

Al

January 29, 2009

putintime,

Good news so far. Keep up the good work. FYI, I am in the process of e-mailing and faxing ALL of them.

Al

January 27, 2009

Pete and all,

I'm trying to figure out how to extract ALL the e-mail addresses from that link without having to do a one-by-one manual cut and paste. If I'm successful, I'll post the list here and you can then copy them all to put into your e-mail.

Al

January 27, 2009

To all,

Thanks Pete for the book you offered to send. BTW, I found that that book's contents can be downloaded (pdf file) from a link provided on Jesse White's website. The link to ALL 178 legislators (including their e-mail addresses) is:

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publicat...al_assembly.pdf

Al

January 27, 2009

I'm also putting the final touches on a letter/fax/e-mail that I will be getting out to ALL of the IL Representatives and Senators urging them to co-sponsor/suport HB0273. They won't have Blago to blame for his unconstitutionally "rewriting" a bill as they claimed he did to HB4201 back in August when it passed in the house but failed in the Senate. It doesn't look like many of them have published e-mail addresses.

I've never written a representative on ANY level asking for support for anything until this. This is big. I hope and pray it passes.

Al

December 11, 2008

VetsWifeAndMom,

FWIW, I think you're doing everything right. Apppeal in writing or on the websites to both your county treasurer's office and the assessor's office. If you do "win" the appeal, then you can recover any overpayment amount. I can confirm that my 100% Disabled Veteran Exemption has been accepted on the Cook County Assessor's website by looking it up using my property PIN number. The only indication that I've received of a reduction in taxes as a result of the exemption is an "escrow disclosure statement" from my mortgage company showing an escrow excess (with an attached check for this amount) and new monthly payment beginning 1/1/09 for an amount $108/mo. less than my current payment. From the assessor's website, the exemption reduced my tax bill by about $360 so I don't see how this math adds up. Anyway, hang in there and make sure you've appealed it with both the assessor and the treasurer. It doesn't come close to the amount that Blagojevich's proposed 100% exemption of property tax for 50-100% disabled vets would have been but it's certainly something worth pursuing.

Best of luck!

Al

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