Get serious about taxpayer requests

The Sept. 17 article covering details about November ballot referendums highlights a request to increase Lake County sales tax by 1% to go toward school funding.

Illinois residents already incur one of the highest property tax burdens in the country, with a large portion going toward school funding. Now we are being asked to pay even more.

One of the advantages of the sales tax increase mentioned was generating income from visitors outside the county. I’m OK with this, it is similar to taxes hotels charge. However, hotel taxes are a burden only guests of the hotel pay, not a burden everyone in the county pays.

I suggest the same concept be used for this education tax increase. The way to do this would be a dollar-for-dollar income tax credit Lake County residents would use on their tax returns. This ensures the tax burden is incurred only by non-resident shoppers.

Unless a mechanism is included to shield Lake County residents from this additional tax burden, I will be voting no. Perhaps it is time for Illinois to get serious about reducing the number of taxing districts to reduce costs instead of constantly asking taxpayers to dig into their wallets.

Erich Massat

Wauconda