Living and breathing in the Second City
Daley says they may have to lay off City employees. I’ll believe it when I see it. Maybe he’ll lay off all the ghost employees working for the water department (Google:”Operation Haunted Hall“).
What really floors me is the answer is right in front of their faces:
Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) said aldermen believe the county increase hurt city revenue collections from the sales tax. The city’s sales tax collections are flat this year. “People are going to the suburbs because of the county sales tax increase, and people are buying off the Internet too,” Fioretti said.
But they’re either too short-sighted or too arrogant to see it. How about lowering taxes so that people start buying in the city again. Eventually your revenues will increase because more business will take place within the city limits. It’s fascinating when you think about it.
- Tags: Budget, Chicago, Debt, Mayor Daley
One Response to “Chicago $420 million in the hole”
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The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
-Carl Sandburg
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DGM
August 15th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Now that the massive Sales Tax increase is in place…and people have been acclimated to the sales tax increase (acclimated..but NOT accepting) much like being acclimated to gas prices in the $3-4 range, what are the chances of lawmakers rescinding the sales tax increase? Slim and NONE. Alderman, senators, representatives et al. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave “money on the table.”
Despite the fact that people are savvy enough to shop outside Cook County thereby avoiding the ridiculous tax rate, AND that local business leaders repeatedly warned the city and county that a flight of sales would leave Chicago & Cook County, the alderman and county officials refused to look common sense in the eye…and simple economics in a recessionary economy. No, they greedily incorporated a sales tax increase that the people voted down…by shopping outside Chicago & Cook County.