Reis Legislation to Benefit Veteran’s Groups - HB6673 to eliminate sales tax on memorial monuments

June 26, 2008

Olney, IL.…Legislation that will make it less expensive for veteran’s organizations to erect memorial monuments in the State of Illinois has been filed in Springfield by State Representative David Reis (R-Ste. Marie).

“Veterans groups have been very active during the past several years building these memorials on courthouse lawns, along main-streets, and in parks throughout the State of Illinois” said Reis. “However, they have to pay sales tax on the components of the memorial and the costs can be astounding.”

According to Reis it is very easy to accumulate tens of thousands of dollars in granite costs alone on the memorials in addition to all of the other construction costs. He said that when you add the additional six and a quarter percent sales tax on top of that it is a substantial addition to the cost of the monument.

HB6673 provides that monuments and monument components purchased by nonprofit and veteran’s organizations for the purpose of honoring military veterans will be exempt from taxation under the Acts. The bill does limit the exemption to purchases from one retailer per monument or monument component.

“It is a real tribute that these organizations are constructing monuments up for our veterans who have served our country” said Reis “and we feel it is the least the State of Illinois can do in lowering the cost of their projects.”