COOK COUNTY IL TAX RELIEF PROPOSAL, or Politics As Usual? You Decide!
COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT TODD STROGER PROPOSES SALES TAX ROLLBACK! BUT WILL IT STICK?
It's been just over a year since The County Board of Cook County IL - the county which includes the City of Chicago - passed a 75% Sales Tax Increase across the county. The move pushed the Sales Tax in Chicago to a whopping 10.25% - largest of any major city in the U.S. The Board President threatened major and immediate cuts in county services if the increase were not approved.
Voters last week in purely symbolic ballot referendums called for repeal of the controversial tax increase. One Northwest Cook County IL Suburb, Palatine, even held a Secession Vote in several of its Cook County Townships.
In light of this, as documented in a Chicago Tribune "Clout Street" blog post by Reporter Dan Mihalopoulos, Todd Stroger, Cook County Board President, has proposed a slight rollback of the county portion of the sales tax - from 1.75%, to 1.00%. This would reduce the total Sales Tax within the City of Chicago to 10.00% - still the highest of any big city, nationally. He explained the expected $90 Million Shortfall to be brought on by the rollback could be covered by Federal Economic Stimulus Money, although Stroger could not quickly and completely back up his claims.
One Suburban Cook County Commissioner, Anthony Peraica of the West Chicago Suburb of Riverside IL, who lost to the current Board President in the 2006 local election, has called for a FULL rollback of the increased sales tax, and a massive reduction in county employment. He would, however, support President Stroger's more modest rollback proposal, if it came to a vote.
When passed, the 1% increase in the Cook County Sales Tax was projected to bring in an extra $370 Million annually to the county treasury. A sluggish economy, however, has likely reduced the projections for increased tax revenue.
DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
