Cook County Board leaves door open for new taxes

Just months after consumers were hit with whopping electric rate increases, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is leaving the door open to instituting a new Cook County tax on that same commodity.

Stroger did not directly endorse any of myriad tax hike proposals introduced Thursday at the Cook County Board meeting, but he has made it clear that some form of revenue increases will be necessary to meet the budget next year.

Two of the proposals Thursday were floated by his ally, Chicago Democratic Commissioner William Beavers, a sign to some that they were really test balloons by the administration.

"Clearly, he (Beavers) does have some disproportionate influence (with the administration) for a first-year commissioner," said Commissioner Mike Quigley, another Chicago Democrat.

Stroger was coy about the tax, as well as a companion proposal for a tax on natural gas.

"I'd like a chance to look over it," said Stroger. "It has gone through our administration and they said they were sound ideas."

"They (commissioners) need to look at the proposals and talk about what they can support and make sure that we can keep the doors (of Cook County government) open," Stroger said.

Quigley said no examination is necessary.

"Dead on arrival," he pronounced them.

The same may be true of a proposal by Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno, a Chicago Democrat and another close ally of Stroger. He is proposing a property tax-for-sales tax swap in Cook County.

Critics say that would devastate retail sales in the county because lower taxes are available just across county lines.

Cook County currently has no tax on natural gas or electricity, county spokeswoman Ibis Antongiorgi said.

All the tax proposals were referred to committee for further study.