Mike Quigley, Cook County Commissioner, 10th District

Cook County Spared Higher Sales Tax

Chicago Public Radio

October 2, 2007

Produced by Shawn Allee

A sales tax hike in Cook County is on hold for now. Supporters on the board had hoped for an up-or-down vote Monday, but settled to defer a final decision for two weeks. It would raise Chicago's combined sales tax to eleven percent.

Commissioner Mike Quigley opposes the two-percent sales tax increase. He says it's too early to tell whether Cook County even needs it.

QUIGLEY: I don't think we should be considering taxes until we have a budget document before us. To have public debate that comes with it and the give and flow that comes with good questions that come from this board and outside groups, to determine where we really are short.

Cook County commissioners who support a sales tax hike call the delayed vote a missed opportunity. The county could have collected new taxes in January. Now, any new sales tax won't get collected until at least April.

Cook County's debt currently stands near three hundred million dollars.

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