CIRCLE Legislative Survey Question Title * 1. Each issue CIRCLE is looking at advocating for is listed below with a brief description. Please mark the top five issues from your perspective for the 2012 Spring legislative session. Enterprise Zone Extension – Enterprise Zones are an economic development tool to help business attraction, business retention and expansion and to help neighborhood revitalization in economically depressed areas. Without an extension, these zones are set to begin expiring in 2013. There is legislation to extend Enterprise Zones for another 20 years. Worker’s Comp Reform – Last year the General Assembly passed measures to help reduce workers’ compensation insurance by reducing the rate schedule. While this will reduce the cost of workers’ compensation insurance, the general assembly did not reform a system that is ripe with fraud. The General Assembly should pass legislation that addresses causation, uses American Medical Association guidelines, allows for a reduction in benefits if illegal drugs or alcohol are involved and implements the 2005 fraud provisions. Reduce Public Pension Costs – Public pension costs are taking up large percentages of our State and local budgets. Next year’s budget payment to the five State pension systems will be over $7.4 billion. This is projected to take up over 20% of the state’s revenue. Many local governments are facing the same issue with police and fire pension costs. The state should enact reforms to reduce pension costs across government bodies and revisit the pension ramps that mandate a 90% funded ratio by 2045. Debt Restructuring Plan – Currently the State of Illinois owes businesses, hospitals, human services, schools and local governments more than $6.1 billion in unpaid bills. Paying off this back-log will take several years to accomplish. Currently, the State does not have a budget plan for these unpaid bills that roll over year after year on the State’s financial books. There are proposals at the Capitol to restructure the debt by selling short term bonds to pay the vendors and set up a payment plan for the year to year deficit. Reduce Medicaid Costs – Medicaid has become the largest portion of the State budget taking up around 40% of the State budget and growing at around 7% a year. If the State is to allow the tax increase to sunset on schedule, it must find a way to reduce Medicaid spending going forward. Non-Profit Property Tax-Exempt Status: Our Human Service Agencies and local hospitals are an economic engine to our communities and they increase the quality of life of its citizens. With the threat of creating a property tax burden on our non-profits, a clear definition is needed to clarify religious and charitable exemptions. Extension of the Research and Development (R & D) Tax Credit -- The R & D tax credit is a fair and equitable incentive tool to help businesses create good paying jobs. There is legislation to extend the R & D credit for five years; however a longer term solution is preferable to allow businesses more certainty. Long-term budget forecasting – The state of Illinois does not currently create long term budget outlooks. Currently the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability projects revenues for three fiscal years. The General Assembly should consider a longer term and more comprehensive budget outlook much like the Congressional Budget Office. Comprehensive and long term budget forecasts should be completed and published for 48 hours before a budget can be voted on. Unemployment Insurance Reforms – While business and labor have produced an agreed bill to help reduce the cost of unemployment insurance costs on businesses, additional reforms are needed in the arbitration process to help protect employers from being unfairly harmed by layoff’s or firing caused by an employee’s actions. Regional Offices of Education --While Governor Quinn was not able to eliminate the offices, he vetoed the salaries for Regional Superintendents and their assistants as of June 2011. Recently passed legislation has shifted this cost to Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax (CPPRT) funds for 2012. These are funds that have been allocated to local taxing bodies. Regional Superintendents provide regulatory and school service functions mandated by statute, as well as advocacy functions that meet locally identified needs in their regions' schools and communities. Recent legislation for salaries will only restore back pay and take them to June 30, 2012. Support for a bill that seeks to keep ROE intact would be ideal. Is there an issue not listed above? Question Title * 2. In past years, CIRCLE’s trip to Springfield have included a breakfast, meeting with legislative panels on key issues and a lunch with speakers. If we were to extend the day to also include a cocktail reception with legislators in the early evening would you attend the full day? The reception would probably occur between 4:30 – 6:00 pm. Yes, I would attend the full day No, I would prefer to end the event after the luncheon Question Title * 3. Please mark ALL the Chambers to which your company belongs: Canton Area Chamber of Commerce Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Chillicothe Chamber of Commerce Clinton Chamber of Commerce East Peoria Chamber of Commerce Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce Manito Chamber of Commerce McLean County Chamber of Commerce Morton Chamber of Commerce Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Peoria Heights Chamber of Commerce Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce Washington Chamber of Commerce Done