Stroger again vetoes cut in Cook County sales tax

By Kevin Olsen
From The Regional News

Cook County President Todd Stroger last Friday vetoed a measure that would have rolled back a portion of the increased sales tax that went into effect last July.

If this sounds familiar, it is. It is the third time in the past three months Stroger has vetoed rolling back the sales tax.

But this time, the Cook County Board of Commissioners has enough votes to override Stroger’s veto. The board will meet Sept. 1 to vote on the issue.

“I think it’s political suicide for anyone to change their vote at this point,” said Commissioner Liz Gorman (R-17, Orland Park). Gorman has long championed repealing the one percent increase in sales tax that puts Cook County at the highest rate in the country.

The board approved lowering the county’s portion of the sales tax from 1.75 percent to 1.25 percent on July 21. The proposal had the support of 14 out of the 17 commissioners, the same support it will need to override Stroger’s veto. Stroger only needs to recruit one commissioner to change his or her vote for the board to fail to reach the supermajority needed.

Stroger did not return phone calls on the issue.

Past proposals have called for rolling back the entire one percent increase that went into effect July 1, 2008 as well as three quarters of the increase. Both measures passed, but were vetoed by Stroger and did not have enough votes to override.

“It has worked out to be a much better compromise,” Gorman said. “Half a percent was an equitable solution for all.”

If the veto is overridden, the new total sales tax will take effect Jan. 1. It would lower Chicago’s rate to 9.75 percent. Gorman said it is important to get the sales tax under the 10 percent threshold that has scared people into shopping in other counties to save money.

If the board can successfully override the veto, Palos Heights sales tax will lower to 8.5 percent. Palos Park will decrease to 9 percent and Orland Park will be at 9.25 percent.

Gorman said Stroger offered a one quarter percent rollback, but she said that will not be enough. She added the board will try to repeal the entire increase next year. “We won’t stop at half a percent.”

Stroger has repeatedly said repealing the sales tax increase will result in a budget shortfall that could result in significant spending cuts. The tax hike was passed in February, 2008 to help balance the county’s budget deficit and was expected to bring in an additional $400 million a year.

Gorman believes the sales tax hike has hurt the county more. Part of Gorman’s district lies on the edges of Will County and she said people from all over are going to Will County for cheaper prices and the effect is putting people in Cook County out of business.

“We want to bring businesses and consumers back to the county,” Gorman said.

Gorman said in a recession the best thing to do is to cut taxes. She added it is the best way to enhance taxes back to the county if it gets more people to patronize the businesses. She cited an 11 percent unemployment rate in Cook County as a result of people not shopping at businesses in the county.

She added that the best way to handle shortfalls in the budget is to cut spending opposed to raising taxes on the constituents.

If the Board is not able to override Stroger’s veto, Gorman said it has pretty much exhausted all its options.

“It will just be business as usual in Cook County,” Gorman said.

This is part of the July 30, 2009 online edition of The Reporter.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you. Click here.