Peoria Standard

State Representative Ryan Spain of Peoria has introduced legislation aimed at providing financial relief to residents and businesses in Illinois. The bills are part of the House Republicans' "Relief for Working Families" initiative, which seeks to alleviate the financial strain on middle-class citizens.

Among the proposed measures are two bills authored by Rep. Spain:

- HB3821: This bill proposes increasing the maximum education expense credit from $750 to $1,500.

- HB1383: This bill introduces an income tax deduction for gratuities included in a taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income, effectively removing taxes on tips.

Rep. Spain emphasized the importance of these initiatives given the high cost of living and doing business in Illinois. He stated that these measures aim to bring much-needed relief to families and businesses alike.

Spain highlighted the benefits of the education expense tax credit, noting its potential as a valuable resource for families facing rising tax burdens. "Creating an avenue for needed relief is something that every family across our state can get behind: if we are helping boost education, while easing the burden on families, lawmakers are doing their jobs," he said.

On supporting businesses, Spain described his 'no tax on tips' policy as beneficial for both employers and employees. "We need to consider how we can instill successful growth in our business community while also sustaining employment—they go hand in hand," he remarked. He believes this policy could help address labor shortages while ensuring businesses have adequate staffing.

Details of the Relief for Working Families package are available at ilhousegop.org.