Legislation ensures funding for municipalities
<p class="p1">As the Illinois budget stalemate continues in Springfield, an area legislator said Nov. 19 that he had voted in favor of legislation that would ensure that vital resources continue to be sent from the state to local municipalities for important services to residents.</p><p class="p1">“This is money that will be put to good use in our communities throughout Southern Illinois,” State Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, said in a news release. </p><p class="p1">“Southern Illinois taxpayers work hard and pay their fair share, and this bill will make sure that no one, including our big city governor, cannot continue to hold hostage what is owed to our local towns.”</p><p class="p1">House Bill 4305 appropriates over $1.5 billion in revenue generated from the motor fuel tax and riverboat gambling to local municipalities throughout the state. </p><p class="p1">Currently, revenue generated from taxes on gambling and gas is sent to the state and a portion is then remitted to local governments. </p><p class="p1">Phelps said that the revenue funds vital services for Southern Illinois, including the operation of 911 emergency call centers. </p><p class="p1">Recently, payments of the fair-share to local communities have been stopped by Gov. Bruce Rauner. </p><p class="p1">"Advocates say this legislation is a common sense approach to ensure taxpayers money is not being held up by politics and is being put to use for local communities," Phelps stated. The bill passed the house with bipartisan support.</p><p class="p1">“Legislators on both sides of the aisle knew that the governor was wrong to first tell members to vote against this bill,” Phelps said. </p><p class="p1">“I’m proud of the members who voted for their local towns in Southern Illinois.”</p><p class="p1">Phelps represents the 118th District in the Illinois General Assembly. The district includes all or portions of Union, Alexander, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski and Saline counties. </p>