Cook County Board hopefuls Podgorski, Trevor weigh in on tax holiday
Should Cook County enact a fuel and sales tax holiday to help residents grappling with rising gas and other costs?
Candidates running for the 9th District seat on the county board recently weighed in on that question.
Republican Matt Podgorski of Chicago said a reduction in county taxes shouldn't be just a holiday.
"Cook County is an outlier, and it needs a permanent reduction of its additional fuel and sales taxes," he said.
Democrat Maggie Trevor of Rolling Meadows said she is open to proposals to return excess tax revenue from the 1.75% sales tax and the 6-cent-per gallon gas tax, but it ultimately will depend on how it affects the county budget.
"Soaring prices at the pump means local and state governments are getting an unexpected windfall of sales tax revenue - all at consumer expense," she said. "As prices rise, this tax revenue may exceed projected levels. However, expenses related to the cost of labor, fuel and other necessities for county projects and services will also be rising."
Trevor and Podgorski are running for the seat currently held by Republican Peter Silvestri of Elmwood Park, who is not running for an eighth term on the board.
The newly drawn 9th District includes parts of Chicago and large portions of Palatine, Wheeling, Maine, Leyden, Norwood Park and River Forest townships.