The following letter arrived from State Representative Mike Tryon.
I am happy to pass it on.
Dear Friend,
Last week the Democrat-controlled House and Senate voted to raise the taxes of McHenry County residents in order to bail out Chicago’s mass transit system, who’s years of mismanagement put them so deep in debt that they’re once again raising taxes just to maintain the status quo.
The Democrat’s legislation will impose a $500 million tax increase including a quarter point sales tax increase in suburban Cook County and a half point sales tax increase in the collar counties.
This raises the per capita sales tax in Chicago by $20 to $100 for a family of five.
In McHenry County, it raises the per capita sales tax by $62 to $310 for a family of five.
For McHenry County, this legislation increases our tax burden higher than Chicago’s, with only a small fraction of our residents using a mass transit system.
This tax increase will come with no expansion of services, no additional routes for McHenry County, no decrease in commuting time, and no road or infrastructure improvements in McHenry County.
This is a short-term fix for a mismanaged Chicago transportation system.
The only guarantee this tax increase will bring is another doomsday scenario as this legislation does nothing to address the capital needs of the mass transit system.
The CTA has already stated that without a capital bill to repair aging tracks, trains, wheels, buses and a host of other infrastructure needs, another doomsday is expected.
Additionally, this tax increase promises that seniors will be paying more for essential items like groceries and prescription drugs.
I opposed this sales tax increase along with a number of my House Republican colleagues.
Instead of raising taxes, the Illinois House Republicans believe the best way to increase state revenue is to create jobs and to invest in the economy.
I will continue to call for a capital bill to ensure that funding is provided for crucial road projects, bridge repairs, and school construction in McHenry County and throughout the state.
Sincerely,
Michael W. Tryon
Illinois State Representative
64th District