11% Sales Tax in Chicago hike??? (to buy, taxi, income)

[TootsieWootsie]

I couldn't find anything on this board about Mayor Daley's suggested 11% sales tax hike he wants to put thru. It was in the Wall St. Journal the other day, and that means it will be going up from 9%, I think, which is already the highest in the nation.
When I was in New Orleans French Quarter 3 years ago, I think it was 10% sales tax that Walgreens charged me for some tshirts as I was shocked.
But Daley wants to hike it 11%.
Has this been on the news in Chicago? Has anybody brought this up? What is happening with this????

[doublesuited77]

sales tax will probably be raised, but not up to 11%. its all over the local papers along with lots of other tax proposals.

[Attrill]

The bulk of the sales tax has nothing to do with Daley, it's mostly due to a 2% increase propsed by Todd Stroger for Cook County. Daley's proposed tax increase is focused around property taxes and a glut of random fee increases and product specific taxes (i.e. alcohol, bottled water,etc.).

The increases that Daley has proposed are being negotiated now, and will be reduced until he gets enough aldermen to sign off on it, so it's tough to say where it end up. God only knows what Stroger is thinking, he's already said the sales tax increase is more money than the county needs but he's not going to budge.

[j33]

Originally Posted by Attrill

God only knows what Stroger is thinking.

He isn't thinking, and that is his problem. I don't know he ended up in office, I'm still scratching my head on that one.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by j33

He isn't thinking, and that is his problem. I don't know he ended up in office, I'm still scratching my head on that one.

He ended up in office because because the Cook County electorate would rather let a barely experienced kid get away with a nepotistic power grab than vote for a competent Republican. This stupid county deserves the moron they elected with open eyes.

[j33]

Right, and that is what confounds me (as a life long Democrat who voted for the other guy). I always maintained that a vote for Stroger was a vote for the divine right of kings (or at least the divine right of the children of Cook County politicians), but apparently not as many people as I would have liked agreed with me.

[Drover]

You can bet I'll remember this moment when I flee out to the suburbs and city snobs ask me why I'm contributing to sprawl and ruining the environment or whatever other moral failure is inherently tied up with not living in the city. "Because you stupid voters chased me out, that's why."

[TootsieWootsie]

You know, I have been waiting over 36 years for Chicago voters to wise up about Daley, cronyism, nepotism, graft and greed. But it ain't happened yet... Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Years from now when the Daleys are out of office totally (assuming it happens some day), I think Chicago and Illinois voters will kick themselves in the backside for being so blind that they allowed themselves to be robbed for years and years by this group. Unbelievable...
and one of the reasons I would never go back there to live permanently...although I do love the Chicago people, restaurants, architecture and culture there. Sad for me, eh?

[peabody58]

As long as the people of this or any city refer to politicians as the government nothing will change. It's like sports, you can't fire everybody, you fire head of the team. I had no knowledge is no excuse when the ones you put in place are caught doing wrong. Why would they believe that it's alright?

[jcarlilesiu]

Am I surprised if sales tax go up again? Not really. A 12 year old running a lemonade stand could grasp simple economics better than these clowns in office, especially Stroger.

Here is a breakdown of the cycle that apparently is too complex for these nimwits to understand:

-Economic downturn lowers income from sales tax
-Budget deficits warrant budget reform
-Rather than lower outlays, the politicians vote to skim more off the top
-Taxes are raised on the goods
-Less people buy the goods because of the tax hike
-Less revenue is produced from taxation
-Budget deficits warrant budet reform
-Rather than lower outlays, the politicans vote to skim more off the top
-More citizens travel out of the taxing region to buy necessary goods
-Less revenue is produced from taxation
-Local small business folds
-Economy increases, but people are unwilling to pay high prices because of taxation
-Less revenue is produced from taxation
-Budget reform is warranted to close gaps
...
...
...


Unreal that these idiots are elected to office to represent us, and this is what they do. I don't even think that a degree in economics or political science should be required... commonsense should be.