City Will Grab Unpaid Fees From State Tax Returns
By Chris Bentley in News on Feb 15, 2012 8:40PM
Scofflaws beware: Mayor Rahm Emanuel said City Hall will siphon off millions of dollars in state income tax refunds from Illinoisans who owe Chicago money.
Springfield okayed the practice in December, and the plan to act on it is expected to be approved in today’s City Council meeting. If you’ve skipped out on a parking ticket, red-light citation or any administrative hearing fines since 2005, expect a lighter income tax refund this year. The city estimates those unpaid fees between $8 million and $20 million.
The December measure passed almost unanimously. But Rep. Chris Nybo (R-Elmhurst) went against the grain, the Tribune reports:
“I smelled a rat on this one, and I was not afraid to be the only 'no' vote … It's obvious now, based on this bill, the ulterior motive here has been revenue. It's always been about the money, and it's always been a money grab … by the city from the suburbs.”
Nybo’s criticisms pit him against the bill’s proponents, who claim the measure is just common sense for a city in debt.
One can imagine if this scheme doesn’t work, the next step will be to send Rahm door-to-door with a collection plate and a baseball bat.
(Ed. Note: Since this post was originally filed, City Council approved the measure 41-8. Mayor Emanuel defended the vote by going back to his now-standard answer of acting in the best interests of Chicago taxpayers:
“At every level we have protected the taxpayers of the city of Chicago by not raising property taxes, not raising or creating an income tax, not raising a sales taxes, not raising a gas tax. And we made sure those who are delinquent, those who are deadbeats, paid up, because the law-abiding citizens cannot carry the freight for everybody else. That is wrong to do. And a system cannot be created around allowing a permissible amount of cheating. It becomes epidemic. And, so we all decided not to taxes, but yes to responsible behavior. And we cracked down, even prior to this.”
Emanuel's 2012 City budget did include numerous fee hikes such as a so-called "parking tax," increases in water and sewer rates and an increase in city sticker fees.—CS)