Morthland calls HB5440: "ineffective and irresponsible"
MOLINE, IL...State Representative Rich Morthland (R-Cordova) pledges to vote against House Bill 5440, the proposed tax on satellite TV if the sponsors try to pass the measure during the upcoming Lame Duck session in January.
Representative Morthland calls the new 5% fee an "ill-contrived attempt to distract from the major issues facing our State." Morthland says that both his Springfield and Moline offices have been receiving many calls from constituents who are justifiably outraged at this new Springfield money grab.
"Here's another fee that will prove to be ineffective and irresponsible in our current economic condition. The budgets of hard working families and businesses are already stretched to their limits," said Rep. Morthland. "To make matters worse, this tax unfairly punishes rural residents and other downstate folks who only have access to the coverage that satellite television affords."
Proponents of HB5440 claim it will raise about $75 million, which would be used to bolster education funding. Rep. Morthland questions that revenue projection number, noting that an already struggling economy conflates projections and provides for decreasing tax revenues. Furthermore, Morthland claims that the tax is a thinly veiled attempt by Cable Television companies to unfairly hurt their competitors.
"Adding the tax to satellite TV bills would be like charging toll-way fees to airline passengers," said Morthland. "These customers are doing business miles and miles above the infrastructure that traditional Cable companies interact with. This tax is fundamentally unfair and misdirected"
HB 5440 passed the Senate on vote of 30-27. The bill is likely to be brought for a vote on the House floor during the upcoming January session.
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