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The Cook County Board of Commissioners has tried, and failed, several times to roll back the 10.25 percent county-wide sales tax. Yesterday, the Illinois General Assembly took a swing at it, as well. The legislation, which would have cut the sales tax from 1.75 percent to .75 percent, fell six votes short of passage. "This is going to really devastate all aspects of our government," Todd Stroger, who personally went to Springfield to lobby for the tax hike told the Tribune . "I'm trying to make the case for the county."
However, the House did approve a measure that reduces the number of votes that are needed to override a veto by the board president, from 14 votes to 11. That measure now goes to the Senate, where the Senate Executive Committee voted 9-0 to send the bill to the full Senate for a vote. While Stroger was pleased that his sales tax wasn't reduced, he wasn't pleased that the number of votes needed to override a veto had been reduced. "I am happy that the Legislature is not trying to take our home-rule authority," Stroger said after the sales-tax vote. "I think it's important that we are able to fund our government the way we have to without the state really changing what we do."
While members of the general assembly were loathe to mandate a tax cut in Cook County, particularly legislators from Chicago, the move to reduce the number of votes needed to override the veto may be a back channel to reigning in Cook County's government. Previous attempts to rollback the tax have been vetoed, and county commissioners haven't been able to muster the 14 votes needed to override it. With Bridget Gainer in Mike Quigley's old seat, and Edwin Reyes in Roberto Maldonado's seat, there should be 12 votes against the tax, enough to withstand a veto. And while Todd Stroger is pleased that the tax hike wasn't taken from him by the general assembly, he's concerned that the reduced veto threshold might be a problem. "In this political atmosphere where everything is about 'How do I get elected,' this is not the time to lower the veto," Stroger told the Tribune.
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How many times has the Illinois Leg jumped the fence to Legislate against Daley in the last twenty years?
Springfield can't even balance its own budget yet they have the time in a two day veto session to undermine the President of the County Board. And for those that think a half cent tax on the dollar is bad, ( which the state get's the lions share of) wait till Quinn re-introduces his tax hike. While all of it may not pass, what will pass will be more than a half penny, and the state generally increases taxes at least every two years.
I think people should read more about Alexander Hamilton. Americans have always had a blind hatred toward taxes which clouds our vision and wisdome. This kinda of game playing only makes the whole house shaky
Oh, sure. We have no reason to hate taxes. Government has shown repeatedly that they spend our money with our best intentions in mind. What level of taxes would make you happy? A combined 60%? 70%
Do you consider the possibility that government wastes our money? Do you think CTA and Post Office employees should be making an average of $75k for low-skilled work and with fat pensions while their agencies lose combined billions? Does it not trouble you that Todd Stroger and Daley hand out money and contracts to their family and associates?
Perhaps we should allow government to seize all of our income and allocate resources based on what they see fit. That would be great.
But I'm sorry. Maybe these are all good things and my hatred of taxes is just clouding my vision.
The US Postal Service is funded entirely through through the sale of postage. Which might explain why their wages are so low.
And silence from Masked Marauder.
Oh, man! And I'd just popped some popcorn so I could sit back and watch the intellectual armageddon of Spook vs. Masked Marauder.
So because I don't comment immediately, I am "silent." I can only log on a few times per day, even when I am not busy.
Taxpayers pay postal worker pensions and health benefits, which are very generous. P ostage stamp revenue doesn't come close to covering everything. I also fully expect Obama to send more taxpayer money to the postal service when they lose billions more next year.
More government efficiency. Bring on the health care system!
It's on!!!
BlueFairlane, its so funny how you liberals judge intellectualism. Judging from some of the comments you make, it is especially funny. "I know Southerners and they buy the Birther thing, so that means all conservatives do." Wow, are you bright.
You liberals who think you are so learned basically repeat the same talking point over and over. It goes something like this: "the government should take care of it." That is all you people ever say. Kneeling at the feet of government and demanding that they redistribute wealth to progams that you see fit is not intellectual, in fact it requires no thought at all.
"The government should take care of it." Wow, what intellectual depth. The idea that liberals are the smartest among us is one of the biggest jokes there is. But go ahead, keep patting yourself on the back for your perceived intelligence and compassion. The joke is on you. Your President and his agenda are being exposed for the jokes they are.
Ooo, keep it going!!!
Well, actually I find Masked Marauder's line of questioning reasonable again, that's all I ask for. We may not agree, but logic is logic
And to answere her/his question Hellz Bellz yes should be outraged at waste and it is excessive! As it relates to the 75 K salaries, I think it’s about how long you have been on the job and the type of job you do. I hate cold weather so I think a mail carrier should be allowed to make that amount. It seems like a hard job. Being a CTA drivers seems almost as hard especially depending on the route. Personally I'd rather drive in Englewood or the Westside over Lincoln Park or the Gold Cost, but I'm just strange that way.
I have problem with Todd Stroger and Daley handing out money and contracts to their family. But not as much with associates who are not qualified because you tend to go to people you know for certain jobs. It’s the process of bringing in new qualified people( especially the disadvantaged) that you don't know that matters. But the Daley, Madigan, Burke, etc, etc machine have made a thug science of it. So much so that every other Black elected executive official especially Stroger has to not only to provide jobs for their constituency, but white machine lackeys too and guess who on average gets the higher paying jobs? Seriously the Black Community gets the crumbs even compared to the Hispanic community. Black folks make jokes about the amount of white people the Black elected officials have to hire. But again you northsiders don’t know and don’t care.
My real beef is the fact that Daley has committed what I consider human rights violations. But because most of the victims are Black and Hispanic he is allowed to stay in office and even those who hate him bow and scrape to appease him, including Obama! Do you remember how Adli Stevenson stood up to Daley? No body does
Meanwhile those very same people jump up and down as if Todd Stroger is a major player when he is not. But no body even bothers to examine exactly what he controls and what he doesn’t. And when one of the few fair white reporters writes about this dicripensy, no one listens. Its like channel two and fox news kept interviewing people outside of Aldi about the half penny county tax increase asking people what they thought about having to pay more for food, even though the County sales tax is not on any sort of food-groceries. They then went to Walgreens asking about prescriptions and it’s not on drugs either. The papers would never pull this crap with Daley.
Logic is, in fact, logic, though it's not something that ever darkens the doorstep of either of your brains.
BlueFairlane, its so funny how you liberals judge intellectualism.
I think I just swallowed my tongue.
Somalia's a free market paradise Masked Marauder. You should move there. You won't have to worry about your taxes paying for silly things like: Post offices, roads, courts, law enforcement, infrastructure so you can have power, water, heat and internet access in your home..etc. etc.
In my mind once you finish writing a comment you shoot pistols in the air, Yosemite Sam-style. Please don't bother telling me if this isn't the case, I'm going to imagine it to be true either way.
BluelaneFairy,
I thought you had pledged not to conversate with me?
Maybe this well help reinvigorate your pledge.
You are a walking example of the need for all forms of birth and more importanly pest control, unfortunately based on what you have stated in a prior post I think your rank stupidity will continue to haunt for at least another generation.
Charmed I'm sure.
p.s Navin, do you know that I "agrgued" post after post with Nevens, thinking it was you! Chicagoist should make him change his name!
There's only one me Spook! And you know this!