4/5 Override Costs us Dollars and Makes No Sense

Rep. Fritchey Applauds County Board Action on Veto Override

Urges Immediate Effective Date

for Pending Legislation

CHICAGO – State Representative John Fritchey (D-Chicago) today applauded the Cook County Board for passing a resolution urging state lawmakers and the governor to pass legislation to reduce the vote requirement necessary to override a veto by the Cook County Board President. But he went on to caution that the currently pending legislation doesn’t go far enough and urged that it be strengthened.

“I applaud the Cook County Board for passing today’s resolution supporting this important initiative that I have been working on with Congressman Quigley since 2006,” stated Rep. Fritchey. “All that Cook County residents have to do to understand the importance of this issue is to look at their most recent sales receipt and see the highest sales taxes in the nation,” added Rep. Fritchey. “This tax burden could have been eliminated this past summer if Cook County had the lower veto override threshold.”

Fritchey went on to caution that the legislation presently pending in Springfield does not go far enough because it would not take effect for over one year, until January, 2011.

“While I agree with the idea of the resolution that the majority vote should be lowered, under the pending bill, the 3/5 majority vote will not go into effect until January 1, 2011. There is simply no reason to postpone ending this onerous burden as soon as possible, and accordingly, the bill should be amended to provide for an immediate effective date,” added Rep. Fritchey.

Rep. Fritchey stated that he has already prepared such an amendment for filing and has additionally introduced new legislation with an immediate effective date. The bill is House Bill 4632.

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