Cook County May Have Big Property tax Increase

The Chicago Sun-Times reports on taxes:

Breaking with his father's avoidance of property tax increases and his own campaign promise not to impose them, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger made it clear over the weekend that he thinks a property tax hike is one way to balance the 2008 county budget.

Stroger made the comment in an interview that aired on "Fox Chicago Sunday." In response to a question by hosts Dane Placko and Jack Conaty about how he planned to balance the budget, Stroger replied, "For years, we haven't taken any of the natural growth [in property values]. We should go to the next level that we can."

A Stroger spokeswoman did not return a call Monday asking for elaboration.

Commissioner Forrest Claypool, a frequent Stroger critic, said asking taxpayers to bear a property tax increase now, on the heels of several mini-scandals involving county officials, shows Stroger is "tone-deaf" and "arrogant."

"Todd Stroger needs to get his priorities straight, and he's shown that his priority is protecting the bloated patronage system and the county system full of six-figure salaries for his friends and relatives and cronies," Claypool said Monday.

Government workers have a right to retire in their early 50's,don't they?