Illinois Legislature, eyes cigarette tax smoking ban exemption

Illinois smokers and bar owners don't know whether to applaud or dive for cover as the General Assembly deals with bills that would either hike cigarette taxes or ease the 3-year-old smoking ban in some businesses.
"This is the first I've heard of it, but (the tax) doesn't surprise me," said Ron Abel, adjutant for VFW Post 5129, which operates a bar at Sixth and Payson Avenue.
The Illinois Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday sent legislation to the full Senate that would hike cigarette taxes by 50 cents at mid-year and another 50 cents a year later. Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said the taxes would generate about $300 million for the state and could replace video poker as a funding source for the state's $31 billion capital bill.
While the Senate considers that bill, the House failed to pass similar legislation in January.
"I don't know that it's got a lot of (support) in the House," said Rep. Jil Tracy, R-Mount Sterling.
Tracy has never favored cigarette tax hikes because the lack of a similar tax in Missouri "puts our local businesses at a disadvantage."
Illinois already has a 98-cent tax per pack of cigarettes. That equals 4.9 cents per cigarette and is enough to push thousands of Illinois smokers to cross the Quincy Bayview Bridge to buy cigarettes in West Quincy. If the bill becomes law, the tax will rise to 9.9 cents per cigarette by the middle of next year.
Cullerton told Senate members the goal is to bolster the capital bill, which has stalled since a court case was filed months ago. He said the tax could allow the state to build roads, bridges, schools and other infrastructure that is included in the capital bill.
Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said it would be "premature" to fix capital program funding before the courts have ruled.
"We all want to see the capital bill" go forward, Radogno said during Senate debate.
Radogno promised to "put at least as many votes on" any revenue bill adjustment as on the original capital bill, if and when a court decision makes it necessary.
Meanwhile, the Illinois House is considering a bill that could allow some bars to seek "smoking licenses." That would be a change from the smoking ban instituted Jan. 1, 2008, for bars and restaurants.
If the smoking exemptions become law the businesses would have to install approved ventilation systems and get approval from local liquor commissioners. The smoking licenses would only be allowed for bars that earn less than 10 percent of their revenue from food sales.