Proposed Cook sales tax hike may die

The proposed 266 percent increase in the Cook County sales tax appeared headed for defeat Monday after the key swing vote on the matter, Democratic Commissioner Roberto Maldonado, angrily announced he would not support it.

Maldonado accused Lance Tyson, chief of staff for Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, of trying to threaten him into supporting the measure to raise the tax from .75 percent to 2.75 percent.

Maldonado said Tyson, "in cahoots" with Commissioner William Beavers, advanced a proposal to revoke the ordinance Maldonado passed earlier this year protecting immigrants in Cook County as a way to brow-beat him into supporting the tax hike.

"This chief of staff Lance Tyson has exceeded the sense of arrogance that I have ever seen in county government," said a furious Maldonado Monday morning before the vote. "They thought they were going to bring me to their side. They did the opposite."

Maldonado's vote was critical because eight of the board's 17 members had said they would not support the tax hike. That meant all of the remaining 9 -- including Maldonado -- needed to vote for the tax for it to pass.

Not only did that appear unlikely, Maldonado -- who had previously voiced support for some sort of tax increase other than a sales tax -- said he would withhold support for any tax increases until the administration assured him it would not revoke the immigration measure.

Maldonado said Stroger had called him Sunday night to try to smooth things over.

"He tried to downplay the matter," Maldonado said.

He also said Beavers approached him Monday morning to tell him Stroger had asked him to back down on his effort.

"I told him the damage was done," said Maldonado.