Stroger to meet with Cook County secessionists

Political hack Todd Stroger, whom Barack Obama so eloquently praised shortly before his election to president of the Cook County Board two years ago, led the sadly successful effort to force Chicagoans to the nation's highest sales tax.

Suburban Cook residents like myself only have to pay among the the nation's highest sales taxes. Oh joy.

Suburbs such as Palatine located near the Cook County line are in an unfortunate situation, and some municipal officials are seriously talking about seceding from America's second most populous county. Which is why Todd Stroger is headed to Palatine later this month to talk things over.

From the Daily Herald:

What Stroger says could fuel efforts in Palatine and other communities to break off from Cook County, which some say has gotten too big for its bureaucratic britches.

"I'm not trying to start a war," Councilman Jack Wagner said. "But if the people of Palatine are going to send the county an extra $4.5 million each year, I want to know whether we're getting $4.5 million worth of extra services."

Palatine's sales tax rate is 8.75 percent, while abutting Deer Park's, in Lake County, is 6.5 percent.

The disparity will grow July 1, once the new Palatine sales tax rate hits 10 percent -- more than 3 percentage points more than Lake County's.

Which means a lot of people who live near Cook's border will shop on the other side of the county line. Businesses located in the lower tax counties would be stupid not to advertise the price savings.

And if you're a business owner on the wrong side of the line, you could have a serious problem.

Stroger is a cypher, his trip to Palatine won't help matters.

Let the secession begin.

Related posts:

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