McHenry County Blog

The Cook County Board voted to cut the Cook County sales tax by 50%.

The suggestion in this article in today’s Chicago Sun-Times proved correct.

The Cook County sales tax hike took effect the same day that Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% city sales tax was imposed.

July 1, 2008.

Both tax hikes have been in effect just over a year.

No one on the Crystal Lake city council has proposed cutting back on the local version, to the best of my knowledge.

Jeff Thorsen was the only council member to vote against the tax hike.

Crystal Lake shoppers apparently don’t care.

While I’m in Woodstock tomorrow, I’ll stop in the Super Walmart and save myself some sales tax.

If you have ever tried to pull out on Route 176 from Briarwood across from Sunset Park in Crystal Lake, you know how dangerous the intersection is.

The last time I drove to Woodstock the back way—the way I’ll get to Super Walmart after Crystal Lake, under Mayor Aaron Shepley’s leadership, raises its sales tax 75% on July 1st—I noticed a safety improvement.

There was a blinking red light above the stop sign.

The intersection so needs a read traffic light, plus re-alignment so the cross road is angled at 90 degrees!

This is the intersection that McHenry County College did not even consider improving when it proposed its minor league baseball stadium.

As if no one would take Briarwood to Lucus Road to beat the traffic on Route 14.

Fortunately, Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen, who lives nearby, pointed out that omission.

The intersection still needs a traffic signal.

If you have ever tried to pull out on Route 176 from Briarwood across from Sunset Park in Crystal Lake, you know how dangerous the intersection is.

The last time I drove to Woodstock the back way—the way I’ll get to Super Walmart after Crystal Lake, under Mayor Aaron Shepley’s leadership, raises its sales tax 75% on July 1st—I noticed a safety improvement.

There was a blinking red light above the stop sign.

The intersection so needs a read traffic light, plus re-alignment so the cross road is angled at 90 degrees!

This is the intersection that McHenry County College did not even consider improving when it proposed its minor league baseball stadium.

As if no one would take Briarwood to Lucus Road to beat the traffic on Route 14.

Fortunately, Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen, who lives nearby, pointed out that omission.

The intersection still needs a traffic signal.

Yesterday, we showed you how high Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley thinks his 75% sales tax hike is.

“It’s a just a little itty bitty tax increase,” Mayor Shepley is telling the neighbors. “And, anyway, you can go shop in Woodstock, if you think it is too high.”

Cat Dad went to Woodstock to check out the shopping last week.

Guess what he found?

A great big Super Walmart right on the way into town.

And, where the McHenry County Highway Department used to be before it was sold without public bidding, Cat Dad found a Jewel-Osco right across the road from a Walgrens.

Cat Dad was heard to say.

“Strange how those big people talk to themselves,” Keely thought.

“So,” thought Keely, “maybe Mayor Shepley’s 75% sales tax hike is a bit bigger than he tried to convince me yesterday.”

“Maybe it’s this big,” he said, as he lifted his head a bit.

Maybe it’s bigger than I thought.

Yesterday, we showed you how high Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley thinks his 75% sales tax hike is.

“It’s a just a little itty bitty tax increase,” Mayor Shepley is telling the neighbors. “And, anyway, you can go shop in Woodstock, if you think it is too high.”

Cat Dad went to Woodstock to check out the shopping last week.

Guess what he found?

A great big Super Walmart right on the way into town.

And, where the McHenry County Highway Department used to be before it was sold without public bidding, Cat Dad found a Jewel-Osco right across the road from a Walgrens.

Cat Dad was heard to say.

“Strange how those big people talk to themselves,” Keely thought.

“So,” thought Keely, “maybe Mayor Shepley’s 75% sales tax hike is a bit bigger than he tried to convince me yesterday.”

“Maybe it’s this big,” he said, as he lifted his head a bit.

Maybe it’s bigger than I thought.