March 2007
Photos at the top and bottom of this Diary page are of family
and friends from around Illinois. There is a different set each month.
Please look for your picture or those of an acquaintance. If you have a
photo to submit, please send it to me!
IGOLD day
John from Watseka and Katie from Bourbonnais
Prayers for Pat
from Morton who is in hospital for surgery.
Alert!
I am getting many requests for information with
regards to the Governor’s Proposed FY 08 Budget, which:
1: Contains the largest tax increase in the
history of the state
2: Contains the largest spending increase in the
history of the state
3: Contains the largest amount of borrowing in the
history of the state
I am the Chairman of the Committee for Legislative
Action and we are providing one website with current information and
links to multiple sources.
www.CommitteeForLegislativeAction.org
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GOVERNOR CHANGES
GROSS RECEIPTS TAX PLAN:
Increases
tax on businesses from his original $6.3 billion (largest increase in
Illinois history) to $7.6 billion.
In summary,
the new proposal:
 |
Raised the minimum taxation point on the gross receipts tax on
business from $1 million to $2 million. |
|
|
The
GRT on services will rise from the initial 1.8% up to 1.95%. |
|
|
The
GRT on goods will rise from the initial 0.5% up to 0.85%. |
|
|
The
revenues generated from the GRT was to bring in $6.3 billion, but
the increased rates will now generate $7.6 billion |
|
|
The
Governor’s new proposal does include $1 billion in property tax
relief. |
|
For news stories on
the revision, link to:
Read what news outlets across Illinois are saying
about the Governor’s proposed taxes.
Second Amendment
Lobby Day in
Springfield for those supporting the Second Amendment
Now this is a real hero!
Imagine
Preston Lindsay's surprise upon returning from taking his dog Pee Wee
for a walk and finding his wife, Karen, leading Dorothy Watson out of
the apartment building they share with 5 other tenants at South Haven
Apartments at the south edge of Minonk. Karen promptly handed Dorothy
over to her husband while explaining that there was a fire in their
building, and instructed him to get her to take her to safety. Knowing
that there was a fire in the building and not knowing where the fire
originated nor the severity, Karen reentered the building to lead a
second tenant, Juanita Jacek, to safety.
Click here to read
to full story!
Pontiac
Bonneville
The faithful
Bonneville now has 252,300 miles on her and despite the gas gauge not
showing how much gas is in the tank and the light that shows the clock
isn't shinning, she is running fine.
We now have a new
GPS device. We got it during the election for
all of the trips across the state. We haven't
had a chance to show him to you yet.
His name is
Road Warrior
The newest Road Warrior, Christian Beck. He is a
member of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity at Illinois State University,
as was I....only I was a member YEARS ago. Christian's first road trip
was through a sleet and snow storm up to Kane County...he did great!
Kiwanis
I take the days we are not in Springfield to be around the District.
Recently I spoke at the ElPaso Kiwanis, pictured here with club president
Ken Hartke.
Keep the Diary?
I am going back and forth about continuing the Diary on my political website. It takes work from me and from my nephew, Kaleb, who does all the postings. During the heat of a campaign it was full of activities, but with the Legislative Session reconvening, there are not as many speeches and the like I am attending.
I started the Diary in 2005 and each month since then is still available to go back and look on. Each month we have a new set of photos which frame the upper and lower of the page. Each month I let you know the miles on the Pontiac Bonneville and a bit of happenings.
What do you think? I really want to hear from you. If we update the Diary at least once a week, would you be interested in seeing it continue? I want to know that you are interested and your input.
E me at:
DanRutherford@DanRutherford.org
Ronald Reagan
It seems that they were having some trouble with
speeders in the Soviet Union, even though they don’t have any automobiles.
So, an order was issued that everybody, no matter who it was, caught
speeding got a ticket. And one day General Secretary Gorbachev was coming
out of his country home. He’s late getting to the Kremlin. So, he told his
driver to get in the backseat and he’d drive. And down the road went, past
two motorcycle policemen. One of them took out after him. In just a few
minutes, he was back with his buddy. And the buddy said, ‘Well, did you
give him a ticket?’ And he said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘You didn’t? Why not?
We’re supposed to give everyone a ticket.’ He said, ‘No, he was too
important.’ ‘But,’ he said, ‘who was it?’ ‘Well,’ he said, ‘I couldn’t
recognize him. But his driver was Gorbachev.’
Remarks following a visit to the Reynolds Metals Company,
Richmond, March 28, 1988
For Second Amendment Supporters
The annual Illinois Gun Owners
Lobby Day (IGOLD) will be March 14, 2007, in Springfield! Participants will
meet in the auditorium of the Howlett Building at
12:30 p.m., and I am going to be a speaker at that time for the legislative
briefing. That evening, a reception will be held at the Illinois State
Library Auditorium from 5:30-7:30 p.m., for both gun owners and state
lawmakers. I will be attending the reception. IGOLD will have buses
available to transport participants to Springfield from various locations
throughout Illinois.
For more information on IGOLD 2007, to sign-up online, or for more
information on scheduled bus routes, please visit
http://igold.isra.org
Happy Birthday
Please join me in
wishing my Senate colleague a Happy Birthday: Sen. Randy Hultgren, March 1.
You can send a card care of: Illinois Senate, State Capitol, Springfield, IL
62706
Recycling Center
I
recently visited a recycle sorting center to see just what does happen to
those materials when we put them out for curbside pick up. I was very
pleased to see that there are people who care as much about preserving the
environment as I do, and how they do it as a business.
During
the visit I learned that the old days when plastic, paper, and cans had to
be sorted before they were picked up for recycle is at time of the past for
some recycling companies. New high-tech equipment will sort the materials!
I also
learned that China is one of the biggest purchasers of U.S. recycle paper.
It is sent over at a favorable shipping rate because so many containers are
empty that need to go back to China to re-stock with goods we buy. The paper
is in bails and the Chinese process it into packaging material for the goods
they manufacture that we buy and ship to the U.S.
Glass is
recycled and used for fiber glass insulation and plastic is recycled and
used for making new plastic containers. Tin and aluminum cans are recycled
for making new ones. It has become more economical to use recycle than
process new tin and aluminum.
Perhaps
the best thing I learned was that the reason it is now economical to use
recycle rather than new is that there is a consistent flow of ‘product’.
Until the system was in place to have reliable flow of material, businesses
were hesitant to invest and rely on it.
I am
adamant about recycling in my own life and offices. I recycle at home, as
well as my District and Capitol Offices. I am proud that all of my family
also recycles.
