2007 Government Affairs Survey Results

Grassroots Legislative Issues Survey Results

Survey Response

• 1171 Businesses
• 59 Chambers
• 29,954 Businesses Represented

Survey focused on 3 main areas:

• Healthcare
• State Budget and finance
• Employment related issues

Healthcare

• 81.4% said provision of healthcare for all citizens is "very important"
• 67.4% favor healthcare that includes legal immigrants
• 83.7% oppose healthcare that includes illegal immigrants

Healthcare options:  businesses favor

• 63% - Current employer based plans with the state supporting payment for individuals not covered by employer plans
• 62% - Exempting small employers from any requirement to provide employee healthcare
• 91% - Creation of a small business insurance pool to help small businesses find affordable insurance for themselves and their employees
• 57% - Single payer plan with State providing healthcare plans (similar to Canadian system)
• 67% - Requiring all employers to provide healthcare coverage for their employees
• 76% - Impose a tax on heath insurance premiums to subsidize insurance for small employers and their employees who are otherwise uninsured

State budget: Finance

• 95% believe that it is important for the state to decrease debt and improve cash flow
• 95% believe that it is important for individuals as well as businesses bear the burden
• 89% believe that it is important to reform state employees, legislator and education employees pension plans

State budget:  Revenue Options

• 26% favor/ 74% oppose - Increase personal and corporate income taxes
• 51% favor/ 49% oppose - Increase income taxes if offset by property taxes
• 18% favor/ 82% oppose - Tax pensions
• 49% favor/ 51% oppose - Continue funding schools through property taxes
• 20% favor/ 80% oppose - Increase business fees
• 39% favor/ 61% oppose - Continue to reduce or eliminate payments to pension funds
• 26% favor/ 74% oppose - Divert money from dedicated funds
• 38% favor/ 62% oppose - Increase sales tax
• 25% favor/ 75% oppose - Impose sales tax on services

Employment/Labor Related Issues

• 69% oppose a plan whereby state employees can adopt union representation by signing a card favoring a given representation, rather than secret ballot
• 96% believe it is important to continue efforts to streamline and reduce abuses in Workers' Compensation
• 58% oppose an increase in the Illinois minimum wage by at least $1.00 an hour
• 58% oppose legislation that would require an employer to provide a written statement to an employee outlining the reason for termination
• 75% favor legislation that requires an individual's work to be the "principle" rather than just a contributing factor to injury in order to receive workers' compensation
• 59% oppose legislation that expands the Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to cover Illinois employers with fewer than 50 employees

For More Information:

For more information, please contact IACCE President, Elizabeth Kerns at 217-522-5512 x 223 or via e-mail at Liz@iacce.org.

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