Preckwinkle Rolls Back Stroger Sales Tax Hike

By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 25, 2011 6:25PM

With bipartisan support from county commissioners, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle approved a gradual rollback of the penny sales tax increase instituted by her predecessor, Todd Stroger. In the process, Preckwinkle made good on one of her major campaign promises.

The rollback was approved by a 12-5 margin and will begin Jan. 1, 2012, when the first half of the penny increase is rolled back. the remainder will be removed on Jan. 1, 2013. The rollback of the tax increase, which Stroger said was necessary to keep county government solvent at the time, will cost the county $180 million a year. Opponents of the rollback like commissioners Deborah Sims and Joan Murphy decried the move. Murphy suggested the vote was influenced by the media, while Sims wished Preckwinkle had taken more time to understand the county budget before calling the rollback to a vote. Preckwinkle has long advocated that the county government could erase a $487 million budget deficit with cuts.