Cook County's High Taxes Causes Palatine Township to Support Secession

Fox Chicago reports:

Palatine Township trustees are on board with possibly forming a separate county government because of a Cook County-wide sales tax increase.

On Monday, township officials OK’d supporting the Palatine Village Council that initiated discussion of either establishing a new county or joining Lake County. The move to leave Cook County began in late February when county commissioners approved a 1 percent sales tax hike, which local officials said would cause residents to spend money elsewhere.

Deer Park in Lake County, for instance, has a 6.5 percent sales tax rate. Palatine’s total sales tax rate is now 8.75 percent, yet will hit 9 percent because of a Regional Transportation Authority hike in April and climb to 10 percent in July because of the county’s increase. Palatine Township includes the village of Palatine and portions of Arlington Heights, Barrington, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg and South Barrington.

Township Clerk Kevin O’Connell said the tax increase would drive out commercial properties, resulting in less property tax support for schools and other public entities. “We will explore our options and we will sign up and show support. I would love it if we could have our own county,” he said.

In forming a new county with other villages, Palatine Village Manager Reid Ottesen said county boundaries must be redrawn.

Before leaving the county, 51 percent of electors must sign a petition in the new area, followed by a countywide ballot question in Cook that would be binding. To join Lake County, in addition to new boundaries and the 51 percent petition signing, voters from throughout Cook and Lake counties must OK the move.

Ottesen said nearly $18 million from the village of Palatine’s property and sales taxes in 2007 went to Cook County government.

On Feb. 15, state Sen. Matt Murphy, R-27th, of Palatine, filed legislation that would eliminate the need for countywide approval. State Rep. Suzanne Bassi, R-54th, of Palatine, filed a similar bill March 13.

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s spokeswoman, Ibis Anton Giorgi, said Stroger was willing to “discuss the increase with Palatine officials.”