Cook County sales tax drops a little bit today

Sales taxes in Cook County suburbs and Chicago will drop half a percentage point today.

The rollback in the county portion of the sales tax is a repeal of half the full percentage point increase Cook County Board President Todd Stroger pushed through in 2008.

The Cook County Board voted last year to cut the increase in half as of today, dropping the rate in suburbs like Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights and Elk Grove Village to 9.5 percent from 10 percent.

The sales tax within Chicago's city limits will drop to 9.75 percent from 10.25 percent. Even with the decrease, Chicago's tax is still tied with Los Angeles for the highest sales tax of any big city in the country. The half-point drop means 50 cents for every $100 spent by consumers. On a $20,000 car, the sales tax savings is $100.

Officials and business owners from suburbs, especially on the county borders, have complained the higher sales tax would send people to neighboring counties to shop. Some from Palatine and other suburbs have considered seceding from Cook County.

Stroger has billed the sales tax increase as necessary so the county can continue providing all the services it now provides, such as health programs.

• ABC 7 contributed to this report.