Sales tax in Chicago could rise to 11%

Missed the deadline for LBN
Source: WLS-TV

One Cook County commissioner wants to increase the county's portion of the sales tax, and if approved, the sales tax in Cook County would go up to 11 percent. That tax increase would also apply to restaurant and hotel bills.

Cook County Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy said the additional tax revenue would be used to avoid another crisis when it is time to come up with next year's budget.

It appears everything is on the table as Cook County commissioners prepare for next year's budget. The last time they called for a sales tax increase was 1992. Some commissioners say it is time to get help. But retailers are saying, look elsewhere.

Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5664018

The new construction and gut rehab condos are selling like hotcakes on the north side, and these fuckers want to raise the sales tax and lower the property tax. It's a sham.

because of a late fee (about $15 bucks, but indeterminate) on my property tax bill

instead of telling me what it is over the phone, I had to mail them (or appear downtown at the County Clerk's office...no other county-wide office will do) a request fot the bill, along with the check, upon receipt of which they'll send me the bill.

that's the way they roll here

to surrounding communities.

The problem is in defining "wasteful." Usually it's social programs that get cut first, and usually there's no way for private industry to take up the slack, since there's no money in anti-gang activities or in social workers.

This is an outrage. And it is counter productive overall.

Here in OK, sales tax is 8.375 in OKC, 7.75% in our suburb. Same rate for EVERYTHING you buy. So a poor woman buying milk for her children pays approx 32 cents tax for every gallon of milk she buys, 24 cents tax for every loaf of bread, etc.

This is disgusting, immoral, unChristian (if you want to look at it that way). WWJT? would Jesus tax people on the food they buy to feed their families??? Ironic that sales tax on groceries seems to be most prevalent in the Bible Belt Jeebus-loving states.

She would get greatly agitated over the very idea!

Isn't there something in the Bible about taxing people on salt?

At least if this passes we can actually avoid another ridiculous CTA fare increase. No, no, of course not. We won't do that. We'll just double-slam the poor.

Maybe we can fix our property tax structure. No, no, no. We can't do that either. Most Democratic-leaning county in America? Yeah, because every corrupt bastard runs with a (D) after his name, instead of only half.

Would that make it the highest in the country?

:sarcasm:

Oh no! Why should we pay any taxes at ALL?! ONE CENT is too much for repairing our bridges, educating our children, etc. Can EVERYONE hit the lottery and never pay for anything!?

:sarcasm:

But taxes, well, if we must have a tax let it be a FAIR sales tax.

:sarcasm:

Then, if we don't BUY anything we don't have to pay taxes. I get that. Yup. Did I tell you how intelligent I was?

:sarcasm:

Of course, the poor, spending *ALL* of the money, not being able to save anything, will be paying the highest percentage ... whoa. Percentage what? My head hurts - remember the part about my wanting to live in a fairy tale fantasy written in a book by Ayn Rand? Don't forget about my intelligence, too. I'm smart! Just don't throw any ideas at me that are any longer than a slogan or catch phrase. I like catch phrases which actually mean the reverse of what they are like, "FairTax". If it's easy to understand, then I'll probably be paying less taxes, and we'll screw the OTHER guy!

:sarcasm:

Property taxes? Oh NO! Sure, they're already here, I already pay them, like I already pay sales taxes. Sure, there were property taxes even before there was a Declaration of Independence, sure, the wealthy own the really big homes, condos, etc., the poor own relatively nothing but.... we could NEVER raise property taxes! Oh, NO!

:sarcasm:

Someone has to pay the tax, however, - hey, maybe all of those tourists will end up paying the higher taxes! that's it - screw THEM!

:sarcasm:

:shrug:

$7.74 on a $6.99 purchase in Rolling Meadows today. that works out to be more than 10%

x(

:sarcasm:

Don't get me started...

i need to quit.

died of emphysema

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13x_Smoking_Habits_Quiz.asp