December 23, 2008— Issue 50

Impeachment Proceedings Update

The House Special Investigative Committee (“Committee”) met on Monday, December 22.  They went over various matters, including State procurements and the Governor’s fundraising. 

Also on Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern District of Illinois sent a letter to the Committee in which it declined to produce certain documents and requested the Committee to not inquire into or seek testimony from certain witnesses so as not to interfere with the ongoing federal criminal investigation.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office mentioned it has not yet determined whether or not to provide the Committee copies of oral and wire communications intercepted from the Governor’s campaign office and home.  Finally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office did not object to the Committee seeking testimony from individuals subject to potentially illegal hiring and firing practices.

The Committee will reconvene on Monday, December 29, at 11 a.m., at which time the Governor’s legal counsel, Ed Genson, may call witnesses. 

Information regarding the Committee may be accessed at the following link:  click here

PTAB Filing Fees

On December 22, the Property Tax Appeal Board (“PTAB”) held a special meeting during which they discussed filing a rulemaking to institute filing fees for PTAB cases.  The fee structure PTAB is considering would be $25 to $150 for residential properties, $250 to $450 for commercial and industrial properties, and $25 to $150 for farm properties.  TFI will keep you apprised of this issue as it develops.

Midwest Gaming in Des Plaines Gets Tenth Casino License

The Illinois Gaming Board previously reduced the list of candidates for the open tenth Illinois casino license to the following three finalists:  Trilliant Gaming LLC in Rosemont; Gaming LLC; and Midwest Gaming & Entertainment LLC in Des Plaines.  On December 22, during a special board meeting, the Gaming Board chose Midwest Gaming for the 10^th casino license.  Midwest Gaming offered a $122.5 million up front licensing fee (plus $10 million a year for 30 years) while Trilliant Gaming offered $435 million up front and Waukegan Gaming offered $225 million up front.  The accepted $122.5 million fee was $452.5 million less than the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget’s (“GOMB’s”) $575 million budget estimate for the tenth license in the Fiscal Year 2009 budget.

Recently Proposed Rulemaking

The Department of Revenue has filed a rulemaking providing “guidance on the sourcing of gross receipts from the provision of electrical utility services for purposes of apportionment of business income.”  The proposed rulemaking can be found at 32 Ill. Reg. 19,894-19,911 (December 26, 2008) and also accessed at this link:  click here

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!