Partial victory: Cook County Board delays vote on enacting nation's highest sales tax

It appears that there is some common sense left in Cook County. The leaders of that patronage army and legion of layabouts known Cook County government decided to delay a vote scheduled for today that would've cursed the residents of the nation's second most populous county with the nation's highest sales tax.

From CBS 2 Chicago:

Sources say that the Stroger administration could not round up enough votes to pass it today. (My comment: Hooray!) This is last possible date to enact a tax increase that would take effect on Jan. 1, 2008. Unless something changes dramatically, the proposed 2 percent hike cannot now take effect until next July 1 at the earliest.

Allies of Cook County Board President Todd Stroger say board members would likely return to this issue on Oct. 16.

Stroger said the hike is necessary to save the county health system and fund necessary services. He has called for a 2 percent hike in the sales tax, which would bring the sales tax in the city of Chicago to a nation leading 11 percent.

Stroger's office released figures indicating the total budget deficit is $307 million. This breaks down to $150 million in reduced revenue and $157 million in increased expenses. A total of 48 percent of those expenses are employee-related costs.

And now is a good time to revisit my thoughts from Saturday night. Last fall it looked like Republican candidate for Cook County Board President Tony Peraica would achieve the impossible and put that office into Republican hands for the first time in almost forty years. But as I blogged that evening, a big push by state Democrats, including Barack Obama and Dick Durbin, gave Todd Stroger the momentum to prevail in November.

So Obama and Durbin, who've been silent on the sales tax issue, can't claim that this is a local issue that isn't relevant to their responsibilities in Washington.

Senators: Where do you stand on the county sales tax hike proposal?

Hey, even Gov. Blagojevich, a Democrat, spoke out on this issue: He's against the tax increase.

Related posts:

Will Cook County have the nation's highest sales tax?

Hey Obama! Speak out on proposal to impose nation's highest sales tax in your hometown: UDPATED

Cook County Board may vote for nation's highest sales tax

Time for me to shop...outside Cook County?

Marathon Pundit Chicago River dumping follow up

Thanks for links:

The newly re-designed It's My Mind

And another resigned blog, The Bench

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