Kane County Reporter

Sen. Don DeWitte (R-West Dundee) joined Republican colleagues at a press conference April 7 to discuss proposals to create tax breaks.

“We are proposing increasing the senior tax exemption that seniors receive from $1,000 to $2,000 a year, which amounts to taxpayers’ savings of about $40 million. (The Democrats') plan does not include any specific relief for seniors. None," DeWitte said. "And the only provision of their plan that remotely addresses Illinois Senior residents is the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit to individuals who are 65 years or older and who meet all of the eligibility stipulations in their plan to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit. Our changes save taxpayers in Illinois more money. Our changes, most of them, are permanent and we believe that this would have a much stronger impact on the residents of the state of Illinois.”

DeWitte filed Senate Bill 4164, which would permanently remove sales tax on prescription drugs, food, and medical devices in Illinois. It was introduced and referred to the Senate Assignments Committee on Feb. 9.

Senate Bill 4163 – introduced by Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Decatur) on Feb. 9 – "increases the property tax income tax credits from 5% to 10%," DeWitte said, "doubling the current property tax income credit, saving taxpayers nearly $500 million a year on a permanent basis, compared to the Democrats current plan to provide a one-time rebate check that happens to expire right after the election.”

Senate Bill 4161 – introduced on Feb. 9 by Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) – would make the senior income tax exemptions permanent. “Our Senate Bill 4161 makes senior income tax exemptions permanent, increasing the additional exemptions seniors receive on their Illinois income taxes from $1,000 to $2,000 per year," DeWitte said. "Those savings are $40 million per year compared to Democrats’ plan to only provide a tax credit for half that amount temporarily.”