HB 2473 – Revenue (1% Local Planning Fund) – This Bill would take a percentage of certain revenue taxes (mostly Hotel Operators’ Taxes) and divert to other use funds. Majority of funds are targeted for Tourism Fund (12%). Yet, includes a proposed 1% of annual revenues collected to go to the Local Planning Fund. This would provide the first potential funding of the Local Technical Planning Assistance Act. IL-APA supports this bill. If you would like to show your support for this bill, view a sample letter below that can be e-mailed to your state representative (see links below to find your state representative).
 

Dear Representative [insert your state representative's last name here]:

This correspondence is in regard to HB 2473, a revenue amendment currently under consideration in the House. As provided, it would allow a percentage of certain revenue funds to be set aside for some specific purposes including planning. The Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-IL) supports this bill. 

APA-IL is an organization representing over 1,200 professional, academic and citizen planners. We were very active in the enactment of the Local Planning Technical Assistance Act (LPTAA) in 2002. We provided support, testimony and served on the Ad Hoc Committee that held hearings throughout the state. We were very pleased to see that planning legislation was finally receiving its due in Illinois, with the enactment of LPTAA. We also supported its funding. We believe this is necessary to assist communities pressured by growth, but that may have few resources with which to address such pressures. Until now, funding of LPTAA has been non-existent.

HB 2473 aims to correct that. By taking a percentage of certain revenue taxes (mostly Hotel Operators’ Taxes) and diverting their use to dedicated funds the hope for communities to gain assistance seems closer than ever. While the majority of funds are targeted for Tourism Fund (12%), the proposed 1% of annual revenues collected aimed to go to the Local Planning Fund, would go a long way in the final step toward building better communities in Illinois. 

We understand that this amendment has been estimated as resulting in a $26 million loss of revenue to the Illinois General Fund. This is a considerable amount of money. However, assisting communities to better plan for resource protection, affordable housing, efficient transportation linkages and balanced growth is an important public goal, which should be funded.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME HERE]