News article from yesterday afternoon:

No one likes to pay more in the check-out line. But the Cook County sales tax has some communities so angry they're threatening to break away and form their own county.

 

"It was very, very unfair," one person said. "And then you hear of all those corrupt politicians and they sure messed up everything, and we have to pay for it."

 

Tuesday, residents of Palatine and two other northwest suburban townships have a chance to voice their anger -- voting on whether they want to break away from Cook County.

 

"That's what is behind it all -- it's the people saying, 'We've had enough,'" Palatine Mayor Rita Mullins said.

 

The non-binding referendum passed Palatine, Barrington, and Hanover townships by large margins. Supposedly Schaumburg and Elk Grove townships will have a vote in the near future.

But won't you support high taxes in the newly formed county? i mean whats the point? i could understand if you were for low taxes or something.

 

no offense, athomeboy.

Edited April 8, 200917 yr by mr_genius

Maybe they are tired of paying for public housing and county hospitals they they never even see? Cook County budget benefits the city by a large margin, and in the suburbs probably only the forest preserves get the attention. So all the suburban dollars go to fund city projects. They should just try to join the county next to them instead of Cook. I tried to get a referendum for that put on the ballot when I used to still live in cook county, didn't succeed. Will county line was maybe a half mile from my house, and the only thing we got from the country were all the Section 8 people tearing up my once nice town.

Maybe they are tired of paying for public housing and county hospitals they they never even see?

 

it's called spreading the wealth around, it's all good.

 

seriously though, they are going to need a majority of cook county voters to support those townships leaving, which won't happen. but i certainly support them trying get out of cook, i sure as hell don't blame these townships. they are getting screwed.

Edited April 8, 200917 yr by mr_genius

So would they all join Dupage County than or whats the deal.

it's called spreading the wealth around, it's all good.

 

seriously though, they are going to need a majority of cook county voters to support those townships leaving, which won't happen. but i certainly support them trying get out of cook, i sure as hell don't blame these townships. they are getting screwed.

 

Cook County is just extra patriotic!

I don't think its even possible for a bunch of villages to "secede" from Cook County, even if they voted to. The village is legally subserviant to the county anyway. The state would have to step in.

 

Though I actually do agree in principle with splitting the City of Chicago into its own county. The only way that happens is if Chicago, Cook County and the state are all on the same page. Good luck with all that.

 

But won't you support high taxes in the newly formed county? i mean whats the point? i could understand if you were for low taxes or something.

 

no offense, athomeboy.

Here is a stat I found startaling:

I think it was last year, Cook County collected $18 million in taxes from Palatine, but only returned $4 million in services. THAT's a major imbalance.

seriously though, they are going to need a majority of cook county voters to support those townships leaving, which won't happen.

Well, there are several law makers in springfield trying to change that. I dont knwo the specifics, but they want to make it easier for counties to leave Chicago... I mean Cook... county.

I don't think its even possible for a bunch of villages to "secede" from Cook County, even if they voted to. The village is legally subserviant to the county anyway. The state would have to step in.

 

they can leave, but the from what i've read it would take a vote in which the majority of people in cook vote for allowing them to leave. no way that happens, the city of Chicago would get a big vote out to keep the tax base of the burbs.

 

the new county, if by some miracle happened, would also need to get new court buildings and stuff.

they can leave, but the from what i've read it would take a vote in which the majority of people in cook vote for allowing them to leave. no way that happens, the city of Chicago would get a big vote out to keep the tax base of the burbs.

 

the new county, if by some miracle happened, would also need to get new court buildings and stuff.

 

The problem is that the people of Chicago are just as pissed at Stroger. So, what this vote does, more than anything else, is send a message to Toddie-boy that his days as Cook County Board President are going to over soon enough...like next election.

 

Also, I wonder if those townships could sue to seceed? I bet that would make it to the Illinois Supreme Court and maybe past that.