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Cliff Ward PAGE 3 - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY, JULY11,1«M Why no celebration for Fiscal New Year? Fiscal New Year came and went two weekends ago with nary a bang or a whimper. It's cousin, celebrated in December, brings hordes of revelers to Times Square and is a cause for celebration across the land. The Fiscal New Year brings no such carousing. I have a friend who celebrates the midsummer event with a party, but he's a little off keel. New Year's Day brings a plethora of great football and usually, a big hangover. When I awoke Sunday, July 1, the first of day of the fiscal year, there was a USFL game on. I had a headache, which was Legislature-related, not caused by booze. You see, the first day of the fiscal new year is when all those laws passed in Springfield officially went on the books. This year was no different. The news this year did not start out all bad. The state income tax reverted to 2.5 percent from 3 percent. According to some figures, this means that the average Illinois family of four (mommy, daddy and two pink-haired teenagers) earning $25,000 a year will realize an extra $2 a week-$104 per year. While $104 is nothing to snort at, it's certainly not going to put many new Ferraris in driveways across the state. Which might be just as well, because the state gas tax went up a penny a gallon on July 1. Again employing our hypothetical family, they will lose $5 to the tax when they drive their mythical 20-mile-per-galkm car 10,000 miles. No one furnished figures for a family of one journalist who earns diddley and drives a hulking Chevy that gets three miles to the gallon. Several other notable acts became law on July 1. No-fault divorce became reality in Illinois on that date and it's about time. People going through the pain of a divorce certainly don't need the additional headache of having to prove grounds in court. I think the people who say no-fault will cause many more divorces are full of a lot of hogwash. People who want divorces will get them, regardless of how much they have to lie in court. Illinois' Freedom of Information Act became law on July 1 and it, too, is a pretty good law, but I regretted that the governor watered it down with his amendatory veto. Although it's not quite what I'd hoped it would be, it's still a good start. New laws dealing with sex crimes also became effective that Sunday as I sipped my coffee. The new statute provides for some violations not previously covered. This, too, is good. I've always been in favor of keeping our perverts off the streets. So far I was feeling pretty good as I balanced my check­ book, in an flwcalnew year on the right foot, but then ft happened; something as terrible as a real New Year hangover and as traditional as the Rose Bowl parade. I read that the Legislature had once again, in the waning moments of FY 1983-94, overrode one of its abortion laws past Thompson's veto. Before I get snowed under in hate mail from%the anti-abortion fanatics, let's study the meat of the new law. It's clearly unconstitutional, which is the reason Big Jim put the quash on it in the first place. Don't forget that Big Jim used to be a high-powered Chicago lawyer before he became our fearless leader. Jim says he's personally against abortion, but he still put the executive "nope" on it. Heck, the only thing I know about law is that I like to make fun of lawyers and even I could see it was unconstitutional. Unfortunately, our Legislature, which includes 18 lawyers in the House and 20 in the Senate, thought it was constitutional. Thought it was constitutional. The lawmakers were so firmly convinced they garnered a three- fifths majority to override Thompson's veto. By the time the lousy USFL game had reached halftime, a federal judge had already ordered an injunction against the law. Another judge will declare the law unconstitutional right about the time you read this. No matter where you sit on the touchy issue of abortion, whether you're against abortion or support it, you should be outraged about this latest shuffle by our lawmakers. They certainly must have more sense than to do something like this, especially since our tax dollars will ultimately pay for the court to find out the law just doesn't cut it. Of course they have more sense. While I have no doubt that some of our legislators are so fanatically anti-abortion they would vote for any law to restrict it, others are simply electioneering. During this fall's campaign, when they have to respond to the anti-abortion groups they can say "sure I voted against abortion, but that bleeding heart Chicago ~ judge knocked me on seat." The only people who lose are the taxpayers. Maybe our politicians aren't so dumb after all. I'm not so dumb either. I guess I've figured out why no one, other than my slightly strange friend, celebrates the fiscal New Year. World's Fair tax opposed by legislators By Kirk Birgin&l Plaindealer News Service Three state legislators from McHenry County who opposed raising taxes to fund studies for the proposed 1982 World's Fair say the measure could help upgrade two area state parks. The General Assembly last week agreed to raise $63.5 million next year to pay for feasibility studies of the fair, expansion of McOormick Place, the promotion of statewide tourism, partial funding of statewide tourism bureaus and a state par;k improvement program. The plan implements a five- percent . soft drink tax throughout the state, which is expected to raise about $37 million next year. Also included is a one-percent jtacrease in the statewide hotel-motel tax. "I voted against the package because I felt there weren't enough benefits for us," said Rep. Richard Klemm, R-Crystal Lake. likewise, Sen. Jack Schaffer, R-Cary, and Rep. Ron Wait, R- Belvidere, said the fair would probably not have, much economic impact here. "My concern is that we're going to get stuck paying several hundred million for a fair in Chicago. So far, the money is just for studies. But many a trout has been caught by nibbling," Schaffer said. Officials said the soft drink tax will affect consumers' pocketbooks here, although the notel tax will probably not be felt as much. Municipalities will not receive extra sales taxes as a result of removing soft drinks from the list of food items exempted from the state's five percent sales tax, according to Illinois Department of Revenue of­ ficials. Helen Adorjan of the state revenue department said the 1 percent sales tax collected by the state on behalf of local communities includes food and drugs. "Municipalities have always had a tax on food. Only the state portion of that tax was removed," she said. Still, the legislators are hoping the area will gain from the tourist portion of the package and, perhaps more significantly, from the state park rehabilitation program. "I support the tourism package. It's important for the hotel and restaurant people and it helps the state treasury," Klemm said. I|e said it is estimated that the $10 million earmarked for the promotional program .will generate some $60 million in tourist-related revenue. Schaffer added, "McHenry County doesn't have the biggest tourist industry around, but potentially some tourism money could come in." Walt said the tourism will be promoted through printed literature at tourism in­ formation bureaus along tor tersate highways, including one on 1-90 by Rockford. Some of the $10 million that is to be spent on state parks next year coild go for improvements at Moraine Hills State Park and Chain-O'-Lakes State Park, according to Klemm and Schaffer. "Hopefully, we'll get something for our state parks, although I haven't seen any exact figures yet," Schaffer said. Second fish boil set Though the weather was very uncertain, the first Pioneer Center Fish Boil of the 1984 season held late last month, was declared a great success. The McHenry County Board of Realtors, with their "Realtors love Pioneer" hats, added support through ticket sales, "helping hands" and a $1,000 cash donation. Fish Boil Chairman Bill Pierce of McHenry, and his Pioneer Center crew defied the weather and made sure that the "Fish Boil must go on!" Bob Gensler, Woodstock, provided cole slaw, the expertise in cutting the fish and refrigeration at his Kentucky Fried chicken stores. Several local women donated pies and bread. 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