Commissioners, keep fighting to cut sales tax

The Cook County commissioners who repeatedly fought for a repeal of the county's highest-in-the-state sales tax today receive our thanks, praise and encouragement to keep it up.

Earlier this week, some of them attempted for a fourth time to roll back the 1 percentage point hike pushed by Cook County Board President Todd Stroger in 2008. Those who pushed for a full repeal include suburban Republican commissioners Timothy Schneider of Bartlett, Liz Gorman of Orland Park, whose district stretches into Northwest Cook County, and Tony Peraica of Riverside. Thank you.

Sadly, that effort failed, but another attempt to roll back a half-percentage-point of the increase succeeded, attracting 12 votes after state officials approved a law lowering the number of votes it will take to override the Cook president from 14 to 11. Stroger promises to again veto the repeal by the Monday deadline. He's waiting, he told the Chicago Sun Times, in the hopes that voters will call three Chicago Democratic commissioners and persuade them to side with him to save county health services. Stroger is targeting Earlean Collins, Robert Steele and Edwin Reyes and has managed to twist arms his way before. So, Cook County voters. call these commissioners. They need to hear you want them to override Stroger's veto and cut the sales tax.

Here's how to reach them: Earlean Collins, (312) 603-4566; Robert Steele, (312) 603-3019 or (773) 772-0140 or e-mail rsteele@cookcountygov.com; Edwin Reyes, (312) 603-6386 or e-mail ereyes@cookcountygov.com.

We encourage all 12 commissioners who voted for the sales tax cut and the five who opposed it to do what is right, override the coming veto and lower the sales tax once and for all.

The minimum sales tax in Cook County now is 9 percent with many communities adding onto that, making it the highest in the region.

Studies have demonstrated that people are crossing county lines to avoid the higher tax. Indeed, even some of the commissioners who voted to keep the tax higher admitted, according to published reports, to driving outside the county to shop.

Commissioners, word came Thursday that Illinois' unemployment rate last month topped 11 percent. We all are having to trim our budgets. You all have to trim yours and understand we taxpayers cannot continue to support the county in the lifestyle to which it has become accustomed.

In far-too-typical fashion, Stroger Tuesday sought to divide and conquer politically, calling the half-cent-on-the-dollar cut "reckless." He argued it would cripple the county's health system. "This has really become a battle of the haves and the have-nots," he said.

Mr. Stroger, please. Do not try to make this us against them. We're all suffering through this recession. You simply have no credibility in trying to advance that argument.

We have reported, printed and read far too many stories about questionable contracts that didn't follow competitive bidding practices to believe you. We've reported, printed and read far too many stories about cronies on your payroll. Just last week, we reported your budget for next year includes $250,000 for the creation of a county film office. A county film office? Really? That's a critical county function? Please.

Civic Federation President Lawrence Msall said your budget proposal for next year is a bloated $3 billion, a full 4.5 percent higher than this year's. "We don't see any evidence of restraint," he said.

Commissioners, keep restraining Stroger. Override the veto and keep fighting for sales tax, spending and Stroger restraint.