Democrats and Republicans came together during the McLean County Chamber of Commerce State of the State event at Illinois State University and.announced a compromise on several tax issues.
According to pantagraph.com, Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) said Republicans negotiated a real estate transfer tax to generate $34 million, as well as bottled water tax ($19.9 million), streaming tax ($110 million), rental car tax ($8 million), car sharing tax ($3 million) and rideshare tax ($200 million). Brady added that Republicans also negotiated the beer, liquor and wine tax ($120 million), as well as cable and satellite tax at $110 million, according to pantagraph.com.
Other Republicans who spoke at the event included Rep. Bill Brady of Bloomington, state senators Jason Barickman of Bloomington and Chapin Rose of Mahomet, as well as Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) and Rep. Keith Sommer (R-Morton), pantagraph.com said.
The legislature passed a 19-cent increase in the state's motor fuel tax, higher fees for vehicle registration and cigarettes, as well as more ways for residents to pay sales tax for online purchases.
"I believe the good outweighs the bad in raising the taxes," Dan Brady said, according to pantagraph.com. "Compromise government is far from ever perfect but it needs to be done on behalf of the people."