Chicago City Council committee signs off on Daley tax on Bottled Water

The Chicago Tribune reports:

A Chicago City Council committee assented this afternoon to Mayor Richard Daley's proposed property tax increase and a package of fee and fine hikes.

The council's finance committee voted 16-6, with more than a few aldermen absent or not voting, to approve Daley's $83 million property tax bite. Over the weekend, Daley announced he was backing off his original request of $108 million in property taxes.

The approval came despite last week's hue and cry by aldermen who said they had been blistered by phone calls from taxpayers opposed to higher property taxes.

Ald. Ray Suarez (31st), an administration loyalist, said even the $83.4 million property tax increase is still too high.

Suarez said there's "got to be another way" to generate the money. He said he would have a hard time explaining the tax increase to a constituent who "can hardly pay these taxes right now. And that's what bothers me."

Budget Director Bennett Johnson III acknowledged that it would "be a tough conversation to have" with a constituent, but said he'd point to the quality services the city provides.

"It is difficult. I would not want to be in your shoes," Johnson said.

The committee also voted 19-5 to send to the council a set of Daley's other proposed increases, including a nickel tax on bottled water. Daley originally wanted a 10-cent tax on bottled water.

Council members also left open the possibility the mix of tax increases could change before next week's final vote.

Can you name the party in which all the Aldermen who voted to tax bottled water belong to?