Cook County sales tax

Some stories about the Cook County Sales tax and I'll include some blogs as I find them. These three newslinks are courtesy of the morning shorts from Capitol Fax once again.

Tax to the max - Sun-Times

If you think you're paying more sales tax today in Cook County, you are. The sales tax rate jumps 1 percent today, thanks to a Cook County Board vote, giving Chicago the dubious distinction of having the highest municipal sales tax rate in the nation.

You'll pay the highest rate of sales tax in restaurants inside a special taxing district of Chicago that originated with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority's renaming and Navy Pier's renovation in 1989.

The County Board adopted the latest increase to pay for a hole in the budget, including supporting the county's public health care system.

Sales tax rates differ from town to town in Illinois because certain municipalities are given home-rule authority, allowing them to implement their own sales taxes among other powers. So west suburban Stone Park's 10.5 percent sales tax includes a 1 percent sales tax take for all Illinois municipalities, plus Stone Park's additional 1.5 percent home-rule-enabled sales tax.

Cook County Sales Tax Hike Takes Effect Tuesday - CBS2Chicago

Chicago's sales tax jumps Tuesday to 10.25 percent, due in large part to Cook County's 1 percent tax increase. It's one of the highest tax rates in the country, even higher than New York and Los Angeles.

But you don't have to go too far to find lower taxes. They're just 7 percent in Lake and Will counties, and 7.25 percent in DuPage County.

"You know we're going to have a new tax increase tomorrow so we're going to have to have new figures in the system," said Gregg Schwartz of Trage Brothers Appliances and Electronics.

Schwartz isn't sure how Cook County's new tax increase will affect his Forest Park business, but he knows he's not happy about it.

"It concerns everybody," Schwartz said. "I'm not only a businessman, but I'm also a consumer so I have to spend money too. So I'll have less to spend and so will my customers."

"I think it's disappointing. Revenue is not reform. We need to actually look at what we're spending before we just decide to tax people more," Schwartz said.

What you need to know about sales tax - Tribune

Why it's happening
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger called for the increase to close a funding shortfall in his $3 billion budget.

He said it was needed primarily to salvage the county's public health-care system.

Critics said the county could have done without the increase if Stroger had agreed to cut a payroll bloated by patronage.

Now here's a new one and then some blogs I found about the sales tax.

VIDEO: Protestor taxes issue with Cook County tax hike - CBS2Chicago

Blogs

T-Day in Obama's hometown: Highest sales tax of any big city in America - Marathon Pundit

I live close to Lake County, and do you know where I'm going to buy a big ticket item such as a laptop computer?

Residents of Chicago's Cook County suburbs, where I live, will pay a little bit less, anywhere from 9.75 percent to 10 percent.

Shameful.

Chicago Top in Sales Taxes - Backyard Conservative

Yes, it's another dubious distinction, Chicago has the top sales tax rate in the country. Today's the day the Cook County sales tax hike goes into effect. The Tribune calls it grand theft. Rather than cut back as promised, they've already added more patronage jobs and they'll be coming back for even more money. If you're in the Loop at lunchtime, join those opposed outside the Thompson center.