Secession: Cook County's Giant Tax Increase Has Chicago Suburb IssuingThreat

The Chicago Tribune reports:

After calling on Cook County Board President Todd Stroger to personally "explain himself" for pushing through a sales tax increase, some angry Palatine Village Council members said they had an even better idea -- secede from the county.

Talk of tax revolt was in the air this week as officials, business owners and taxpayers throughout the region voiced outrage. But perhaps nowhere was the outrage more visible than in communities that share a border with lower-tax counties.

"What really gets me most is it's not only us: It's going to be the schools along with the village, the park district, any taxing body -- the dollars are going to shift from our area," said Council member Scott Lamerand, who was among those leading the push to explore withdrawing from the county.

Other Cook County suburbs near borders of lower-tax counties also worried that the 1 percent sales tax hike approved Friday with strong support from Stroger and his allies will mean the death knell for many local businesses -- and the busting of local budgets. Effective in November, it will more than double the county's portion of the sales tax.

By November, when both the county sales tax hike and a 0.25 percent increase for the RTA will be in effect, Palatine's rate will be 10 percent. In some Lake County communities, just a short drive away, it will be 7 percent.

"It's just one more disadvantage, and obviously, it's a very regressive tax, and this is the worst time to impose it," because of an already slow economy, said Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod.

Burr Ridge Village President Gary Grasso said that while the tax hike won't derail a new downtown retail center in the part of the southwest suburb that lies in Cook County, he has concerns because of the downward trend in the retail market.

"Any sales tax increase will not help the situation," he said.

The tax increase was engineered by John Daley who's Chairman of the Cook County Finance Committee.John Daley is Chicago Mayor Daley's brother.Stay tuned to Newsalert,soon, we will be posting a long blog entry on The Daley Family and the Chicago Mob.Some people no longer want to associate with Cook County Democrats.Imagine that.