Tax swap plan gets approval

SPRINGFIELD– An education funding reform plan that increases income taxes and adds a sales tax on certain services won House committee approval on Thursday, but still faces long odds.

Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, has already promised not to call the bill for a vote in his chamber, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich has vowed to veto any increase in the income or sales tax. The duo said they did not want to raise taxes on people, and are pushing a $6.3 billion gross receipts tax on businesses instead.

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