Cook Co. sales tax to be on some local ballots

Voters throughout Northwest suburban Cook County will get to record their views on the recent county sales tax hike when they go to the ballot box on April 7.

Many of these voters will also be asked if they want to break away from Cook County altogether.

But both questions are nonbinding - and even a spokesman for Cook County Board President Todd Stroger acknowledged almost anyone would vote against a tax increase if given the choice.

The tax question asks if the 1 percentage-point sales-tax increase that took effect July 1 should be continued. The township boards of Barrington, Elk Grove, Hanover, Maine, Palatine, Schaumburg and Wheeling have all now voted to place it on the ballot.

But only voters in Barrington, Hanover and Palatine townships will see a second ballot question: whether the townships should join another county for form a new one.

Stroger spokesman Eugene Mullins said voters can make up their minds about seceding but hopes they understand they'll face additional costs to replace county services.

"If they secede from Cook County, what taxes are going to be implemented in their area to pay for those services?" Mullins asked. "We're an arm of the state and the state tells us what to do."

He also said the advisory referendum about the sales tax increase would have little if any influence on Stroger.

With the tax increase and the elimination of 452 jobs, the county has managed to balance its budget while keeping in tact essential services, Mullins said, adding that shouldn't be undone by people who will obviously vote against a tax increase.

"I don't know anyone who would vote for a tax increase," Mullins said. "But the harsh reality in this economic climate is our balance is zero."

He added that if suburban leaders are suggesting there was an alternative to the sales tax hike, they've never presented one. In fact, many have created their local sales taxes and have supported the Regional Transportation Authority's tax increase.

Palatine Village Councilman Scott Lamerand was disappointed some townships didn't also put the secession question on their ballots.

It "offers people a legitimate way to look out for their own long-term interests as opposed to someone in downtown Chicago making the decisions for them," he said.

Still, if Palatine, Barrington and Hanover townships vote overwhelmingly in favor of seceding, Lamerand said the others should take notice.

"Elected officials wouldn't be able to ignore more than 500,000 people wanting control over their own services," he said. "And just because they chose not to do it at this point doesn't exclude the discussion from moving forward."

State Sen. Matt Murphy of Palatine, one of five Northwest suburban lawmakers who sought the sales tax referendum, said the hope is to convince at least one commissioner who voted for the hike to change his or her mind.

"The idea is to use this as one piece in a puzzle to roll it back," Murphy said.

Elk Grove Township Supervisor Nanci Vanderweel explained why her board approved the sales tax referendum, but not the other.

She said she didn't receive enough information about the secession issue to feel comfortable about passing it on to her board for consideration.

More clear-cut, though, was the issue of gauging voter opinion about the sales tax increase, Vanderweel said.

"I think it will allow Cook County to fully understand what is the opinion of the voters," she said. "It gives them a voice they didn't have when this was passed on to them."

• Staff Writer Kimberly Pohl contributed to this report.