Marathon Pundit: Dem nominee: Repeal of remainder of Cook County corruption tax will take two years

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Dem nominee: Repeal of remainder of Cook County corruption tax will take two years

That cesspool of graft, Democrat-dominated Cook County government, slapped a one percent sales tax on hard-pressed county residents like myself, giving Chicagoans and suburban Cook residents the nation's highest sales tax.

That levy is widely known as the corruption tax.

The man behind that tax, County Board President Todd Stroger was soundly defeated in his reelection bid in February's Democratic Primary. The victor, Chicago Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, vowed to repeal the remainder of the corruption tax. Last year a coalition of Republicans and reform Democrats put together the necessary votes to override Stoger's veto of half-percent rollback, which takes effect in July.

When I purchase most items here, I pay a 10 percent sales tax. Chicagoans pay 10.25 percent.

The Chicago Tribune's Clout Street blog is reporting this afternoon that Preckwinkle doesn't foresee axing the rest of the corruption tax until 2012.

Shortly before Stroger's 2006 election victory, then-Senator Obama praised him as "a a good progressive Democrat" who will "lead us into a new era of Cook County government."

That he most certainly did.

Cook County--we're number one.

In taxes.

In related news, one of the leaders in the drive to rid us of that tax, Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-Riverside), unveiled proposed amendments to Cook County's ethics ordinance.

And finally, Preckwinkle's Republican opponent, Roger Keats, had this to say:

Did anyone really believe a twenty year incumbent Alderman and Ward boss who took $200,000 in the primary from the union that represents the majority of bureaucrats was really going to lower taxes? We need a County Board President who will provide real tax relief and cut government waste.