Il - Illinois Veterans Benefits

[samalw]

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

[putintime]

They just named the members for that 11 February 2009

Revenue & Finance committee, Now here is the questions....

First they have a total of 66 HB's to look at that day...Now

HB0273 has the most co-sponsors with over 46, the next

one even remotely close is HB0023 with 17. I am just wondering

how this works, I will be following it closely. I do know I

have personally emailed and Faxed everyone in this committee

for support. So far only Careen M. Gordon has responded

positively. Linda Chapa LaVia is a veteran and has co-sponsored

past legislation on this issue.

Keep Positive;

Pete

[putintime]

Stand to be corrected.....

As of 10 February 2009 at 1200 the HB0273 has the following;

A total of 52 Co-Sponsors, more than any other HB going in front of the

Revenue & Finance Committee Hearing on February 11, 2009 at 1000.

There are 4 members of the Revenue & Finance committee that

have Co-Sponsored HB0273, they are;

Bob Biggins ®

Suzanne Bassi ®

Careen M. Gordon (D)

Ed Sullivan, Jr. ®

HB0273 - MUST PREVAIL

PLEASE email & Fax all the Illinois Representatives that have not Co-Sponsored this

legislation. Better yet, send your personal story how it effects you or someone you

know. We are making baby steps, but it is better than the previous IGA crawl that

we have delt with in the last 4 years.

Take Care,

putintime

Al was right at the beginning when he mentioned the committee, but it was just the Democrats

that had been selected at that time. Now they balanced the committee with 5 Republicans.

[samalw]

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.

[putintime]

Al,

Way to go!!!!!!.....Hopefully it is read while they are in debate or

going over HB0273!!!!!

Pete

[putintime]

Stand to be corrected.....

As of 10 February 2009 at 1330 the HB0273 has the following;

A total of 56 Co-Sponsors, more than any other HB going in front of the

Revenue & Finance Committee Hearing on February 11, 2009 at 1000.

There are 5 members of the Revenue & Finance committee that

have Co-Sponsored HB0273, they are;

Linda Chapa LaVIA

Bob Biggins ®

Suzanne Bassi ®

Careen M. Gordon (D)

Ed Sullivan, Jr. ®

HB0273 - MUST PREVAIL

PLEASE email & Fax all the Illinois Representatives that have not Co-Sponsored this

legislation. Better yet, send your personal story how it effects you or someone you

know. We are making baby steps, but it is better than the previous IGA crawl that

we have delt with in the last 4 years.

Take Care,

putintime

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