Don't let tax anger skew your perspective

I'm a Cook County resident who was and is still angry about the recent huge "sugar" tax. I vowed never to order or shop for a sweetened drink in Cook County again and I've kept this promise to myself - until today.

This was the first day I added pop and sweetened tea on my shopping list. So I plotted out the closest store in Lake County and started driving north on Milwaukee Avenue. Before I got to Dundee Road, two thoughts crossed my mind that made me turn around and head to my usual store.

First, I'd probably spend more on the extra gas that it would take to get to and from Lake County than the tax on a few liters of pop. And who wants to have to pay more for Cook County's high-taxed gasoline?

But secondly - and more important to me - I asked myself what benefit as a Cook County resident am I getting from Lake County while I'm paying my tax dollars to them? Are we so blinded by our outrage over the size of the tax increase that we're forgetting that these dollars are paying for our own county employee salaries and services?

And by boycotting any transactions in Cook County, are we only making it more difficult for the county to operate and provide the services we expect and are entitled to?

I'm still not happy with these extreme taxes. But when it's time to do your own shopping, just remember the old saying, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face." That is, don't act out of anger or think that you're hurting those running Cook County because ultimately it will only impact us, the county's citizens, rather than its governing body.

John K Nolan

Mount Prospect