TAX NEWS - 2010

Highest Tax: Chicago has the highest sales tax in the U.S.

At 9.75%, Chicago has the highest sales tax rate in the nation. Higher than New York City and higher than even Los Angeles. The typical liberal talking point is that we need to raise taxes to continue paying for high quality public services.

That is a bunch of baloney. Higher taxes do not necessarily translate to better services.

Just ask regular Chicagoans. Do their kids in Chicago Public School get the best education for the money put into it? Is the price and wait in using the CTA worth it? How about public health at places like Cook County Hospital, how's the waiting time over there. Of for the Chicagoan who use the lake front. The lake front is great but how do you feel about the paying the parking meters?

I'm not saying that public education, the CTA, the lake front, police, parks, and other publicly funded items are terrible. In many cases Chicagoans are satisfied. The lake front is gem and the police have done a good job.

But at the same time, someone has to pay for these public services. The politicians over the years have decided that the highest sales tax in Chicago is the way to go.

If you are looking for some sales tax relief, it is not going to happen soon. Yes, a major culprit in contributing to higher sales tax, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, has been voted out of his office. However his replacement Toni Preckwinkle, says it is possible for her to repeal some of the sales tax increase that Stroger implemented but based on the projected budget deficit it could take some years?