Front page news on both of Chicago’s papers today was the Cook County Board’s vote to phase out its hefty sales tax under the now out-of-office Todd Stroger. The Crystal Lake City Council’s March, 2008, 75% city sales tax increase went … Continue reading
Category Archives: Sales Tax
The petitions for re-election are being circulated for Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and Council members Cathy Ferguson, Ellen Brady Mueller and Brett Hopkins. And, just in time for the campaign, there is an election kick-off party that required the … Continue reading
Cutting the sales tax from 6.25% to 3% is actually on the ballot as a binding referendum in Massachusetts. Such political reforms by the will of the people is something that Illinois Democrats have long vehemently opposed. Whenever you hear … Continue reading
Today, the Illinois Republican Party is holding its day at the State Fair. Busloads are people are heading that way as I write this article. When I went, it was called Governor’s Day. That was back in Jim Thompson’s time. … Continue reading
Starting today, clothing and school supply shoppers can do their part to put state government into deeper in debt. The headline of Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown piece today sums it up: Sales tax break no net loss or gain … Continue reading
Some tax hike watcher I am. I missed Lake in the Hills’ raising its sales tax on July 1st by another quarter of one percent. Now northern Randall Road is a seamless 7.75%. Besides Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% city sales … Continue reading
After an extensive debate with no public input because a public hearing had been previously held, three McHenry Aldermen and one Alderwoman voted to raise the city sales tax rate 50%. The rate will go from the current 1% to … Continue reading
The Republican running against Democrat Jack Franks for state representative sends the following press release about the McHenry City Council’s probable vote to hike its city sales tax 50% on Monday night. Home Rule cities like McHenry can raise the … Continue reading
When we were at the Independence Hall gift shop, I saw this quote from Benjamin Franklin: “When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.“ I was thinking of that quote … Continue reading
When Governor Pat Quinn says that the state has a $12 billion deficit, what’s another $50 million? Apparently nothing. $50 million is what the August 6-15 sales tax holiday will cost coffers. Democrats don’t seem to care. Two local Democrats … Continue reading
To raise the McHenry City Sales Tax 50% or not. That was the question last night at a sparsely attended public hearing. It’s less than the Crystal Lake City Council raised its City Sales Tax. In the county’s biggest municipality, … Continue reading
Although primary election voters approved the imposition of a one percentage point sales tax hike in Lawrence County, former State Rep. now Sumner Press Publisher Roscoe Cunningham is calling for a delay in the county board’s imposing it. “While changing … Continue reading
Governor Pat Quinn started the fight to tax iPod downloads and now the McHenry and Chicago Young Republicans are preparing for battle. They have set up a Facebook page..Maybe it will take off before Quinn figures out he has made … Continue reading
So I show my 12-year old the Chicago Sun-Times article as he is reading a book for school. The headline reads, NEW MONEY-MAKING IDEA FOR STATE: iTAX Dad: “Here’s an article that might interest you. Governor Quinn wants to tax … Continue reading
Because of severe computer problems with my new Hewlett-Packard computer, I missed the 525th day anniversary of Mayor Aaron Shepley’s and his city council’s (sans Jeff Thorsen) 75% hike of the Crystal Lake city sales tax’s having taken effect. It … Continue reading
July 1st, a year and almost a half ago, Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and all of his city council but Jeff Thorsen enacted at 75% city sales tax increase. It went into effect the same day as the Todd … Continue reading
Certainly it will be hard for some readers to grasp, but three of the four Republican legislators representing McHenry County voted for the tax increases on beer, wine, liquor, candy, soft drinks, etc., not to mention putting slot machines in … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Somehow it seems appropriate that this license plate, NO TAX 1 should be seen driving around Crystal Lake. This is, of course, an appropriate day to post it, since it has been one year since Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% city … Continue reading
Until I read it in Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown’s column today, I didn’t realize that the Cook County sales tax fight is racial. Talking about the possibility of a veto, Brown writes, “That’s unlikely given the current split, now breaking … Continue reading