Cook County Sales Tax thread (Chicago, Manhattan: buy, living in, metro area)

[Steve-o]

MyFox Chicago | Prepare to Pay More in Sales Tax by November

Chicago officially the most heavily taxed city in the nation.

[sgresident]

it is terrible that these elected officials cannot figure out a better way to balance their budgets! a sales tax is the most regressive form of taxation. it hurts those who need the basic things much more than those who can afford expensive items. They should be looking to make government more efficient and if the actual user fees for items need to increase, then, so be it. why tax everyone when only a few are the users?

[Steve-o]

Absolutely.

This is a title that Chicagoans are NOT proud of.

[NYrules]

Too bad that the dumb ***** es that are in charge at County don't realize this is NOT NY! Chicago is not some big island that is next to impossible to leave. So, Chicago wants higher taxes? Fine, I'll just do my shopping in Will County! Na na na na na! Now you (Cook county) won't get any of my money on things like groceries and general goods! I'm sure this will be a trend, go shopping out in the burbs on the weekends to avoid the high taxes and costs. Real intelligent, now you're out all the way around Cook County!

[Chicago60614]

Cook County is just nuts......I wonder how much money they waste just because it's so bloated and no one knows how to do their job, or really even cares.

Oh, severe budget crisis? Oh, Ok, everyone slash their budgets 10% and we'll slap more sales tax on it......NEEEXT.

Why don't they figure out where this is all coming from instead of just across the board cuts and a sales tax increase. If our taxes are the HIGHEST anywhere in the country, something is CLEARLY wrong that we're not getting right and everyone one else seems to have no problem with.

If this city/county/state was any more corrupt I'd faint.

[Drover]

Another item to footnote when I eventually make a beeline for the suburbs and the Militant Urbanophiles™ ask me how I could possibly prefer to rape and pillage our natural resources instead of staying in the Glorious City.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Drover

Another item to footnote when I eventually make a beeline for the suburbs and the Militant Urbanophiles™ ask me how I could possibly leave the Glorious City.

Have fun. I can't think of a single suburb I'd want to live in that isn't also in Cook County.

The only real solution is to *gasp* try to get politically involved in Chicago. We need residents to stop voting blindly for machine candidates because they are Democrats, and to actually take a look at what's going on in our one-party system. I'm a life-long moderate Democrat, but am deeply dissatisfied with all levels of local government. It will take years of frustration, but it's a good fight. Kind of like cheering for the Cubs, really.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Have fun. I can't think of a single suburb I'd want to live in that isn't also in Cook County.

The only real solution is to *gasp* try to get politically involved in Chicago. We need residents to stop voting blindly for machine candidates because they are Democrats, and to actually take a look at what's going on in our one-party system. I'm a life-long moderate Democrat, but am deeply dissatisfied with all levels of local government. It will take years of frustration, but it's a good fight. Kind of like cheering for the Cubs, really.

Well I can think of a couple, because I have lived in them.

As for getting politically involved... I'm sorry, but there's just way too much inertia in this town. It's been this way for decades and there is no indication that it will ever be otherwise in my lifetime. Too many palms are getting greased for it to ever substantially change. I would have a different attitude if the reins of political power were ever actually up for grabs or there was any indication at all that the system is ripe for a major change. Trying to change the politics here, to borrow a concept from Monty Python, is like trying to cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with a herring. I enjoy life too much to waste any of it on quixotic pursuits. My only purpose for ever getting politically involved is to affect an outcome where I don't need to always be politically involved. I don't see that happening here.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Drover

Well I can think of a couple, because I have lived in them.

As for getting politically involved... I'm sorry, but there's just way too much inertia in this town. It's been this way for decades and there is no indication that it will ever be otherwise in my lifetime. Too many palms are getting greased for it to ever substantially change. I would have a different attitude if the reins of political power were ever actually up for grabs or there was any indication at all that the system is ripe for a major change. Trying to change the politics here, to borrow a concept from Monty Python, is like trying to cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with a herring. I enjoy life too much to waste any of it on quixotic pursuits. My only purpose for ever getting politically involved is to affect an outcome where I don't need to always be politically involved. I don't see that happening here.

Is New York still controlled by Tamany Hall? Political machines have died out in many major cities, usually driven by demographic changes. Afterall, you can't have an Irish machine if there are no Irish people to vote for it. The old Machine in New York died because (1) people were fed up with it, and (2) Manhattan became controlled by a wealthier business class. Demographic changes in Chicago are starting to mirror New York a bit, and it's only a matter of time before the old machines die off. I predict it will be more of a slow fade out than any sort of dramatic revolution, but it's clear to me that the political landscape of Chicago will be very different in 20 years.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

it's clear to me that the political landscape of Chicago will be very different in 20 years.

I hope (but don't necessarily believe) you're right!