Not enough votes to override Cook tax repeal veto

Six allies of Cook County Board President held fast Tuesday, declining to override his veto and keeping the county's 1.75 percent sales tax intact.

Not only did Stroger sustain his veto, but he picked up another vote since the last time the board had voted on the matter.

Commissioners trying to override the president's veto of a one-percentage-point rollback needed 14 votes, but only 11 backed it. That was down from the 12 who voted to roll back the tax on May 5.

Helping Stroger keep the tax were Chicago Democrats Deborah Sims, Jerry Butler, William Beavers and Joseph Mario Moreno. Moreno had voted for repeal on May 5. Stroger was also aided by Commissioner Earlean Collins and Robert Steele, who voted present. Because an override requires a four-fifths vote of the entire board, not just those voting or present, a present vote acted to keep the veto intact.

But Commissioners trying to roll back the 2008 one-percentage point increase weren't giving up, and immediately passed a measure that would still roll the one percentage-point tax increase back, but in two phases: .75 percentage point in the first year and .25 in the second.

That put the issue before Stroger again, who immediately announced he'll veto that as well. Stroger favors a smaller rollback of one-quarter of one percentage point, with possible further decreases in future years if revenues hold steady.