Tax wallop: State, county, city seeking hikes

'IT'S GOING TO BE PAINFUL' | From property tax to phone service, your pocketbook will take a hit

If Mayor Daley and his political cohorts keep this up, they could change Chicago from the "city of big shoulders" to the "city of empty pockets."

"There's going to be a consumer and business revolt. This is a Boston Tea Party waiting to happen," said Jerry Roper, president of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

"It's after the election. Now the real stories come out about how bad things are. We have never seen such an across-the-board demand.... Everybody's reaching into our pockets at the same time." Some taxes could double

Mayor Daley is expected today to unveil a 2008 city budget balanced with nearly $200 million in higher taxes and fees. They include a $40.8 million water and sewer rate increase and the largest property tax increase in Chicago history to build and maintain libraries.

Seven months after breezing to re-election on a budget that held the line on taxes, Daley will order nearly every item on the menu of tax increases he outlined for aldermen last week.

Chicagoans will pay more for everything from gasoline, liquor, parking, restaurant meals and telephone service to bottled and tap water, city stickers and Taste of Chicago tickets. The mayor even wants us to pay more for renting movies and leasing vehicles.

If Daley softens the blow at all from what aldermen were told last week, it will probably be to get the property tax increase below $100 million and eliminate a new $9 million tax on water consumption.

Plans to double the tax on restaurant meals -- from .25 to .50 percent -- could also be scrapped following behind-the-scenes lobbying by Illinois Restaurant Association President Sheila O'Grady, the mayor's former chief of staff.

Daley's $45 million plan to double -- from $1.25 to $2.50 -- the monthly tax on telephone bills is still sitting on the governor's desk waiting to be signed.

Daley's tax wallop would be enough to choke a horse all by itself. But it's not happening in a vacuum.

This week, CTA President Ron Huberman is scheduled to unveil a "doomsday" budget for 2008 -- if the General Assembly fails to bail out mass transit -- that'll make the fare hikes and service cuts scheduled to take effect Nov. 4 look like a picnic. County seeks its share

County Board President Todd Stroger's plan to raise the counytwide sales tax by 2 percent appears to be dead, but now the board is considering a more modest sales tax increase along with higher taxes on utilities and phone bills.

Feuding Democratic leaders in Springfield are still haggling over an extension to the 7 percent cap on property tax assessment increases that would soften the blow of Daley's property tax increase.

Legislative leaders could also resurrect a regional sales tax increase for mass transit or follow the alternative suggestion from Gov. Blagojevich by taxing parking at downtown garages, just like Daley plans to do. Daley: 'Don't talk to me'

Last week, the mayor was asked how he could justify raising taxes more than he ever has at a time when the state and county are also reaching for taxpayers' wallets.

"Go talk to the state. Don't talk to me. I don't run the state and I don't run the county. I have a responsibility to move Chicago and that's what I always do," he said.

"If you stay stagnant, the city stays stagnant and then you can't move forward."

Chicago taxpayers almost always take it on the chin in the city budget that follows a mayoral election.

"Our money trees are our people. That's the bottom line. Let's not try to sugar coat anything or try to make it into something that it isn't. It's going to be painful," said Ald. Carrie Austin (34th), chairwoman of the City Council's Budget Committee.

"Our money trees are our people. That's the bottom line. Let's not try to sugar coat anything or try to make it into something that it isn't. It's going to be painful," said Ald. Carrie Austin (34th), chairwoman of the City Council's Budget Committee.

The people of Chicago get exactly the government that they deserve when they vote for 'Rats like this to run their city.

Yep. Our nation's cities are so productive that people are getting out while they can.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

3 posted on 10/10/2007 5:07:33 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)

Is Carrie Austin house still standing and has she been tarred and feathered yet?

‘We the People’ are openly mocked as “money trees” now? Great, the future looks bright indeed. All hail popularity contest winners.

4 posted on 10/10/2007 5:19:49 AM PDT by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)

AXIOM: Government at any level always grows and takes more of the citizens’ money to do so. Especially under Democrats.

COROLLARY: It takes strong, committed leadership to reverse that trend.

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