Kotowski Dings Stroger on Sales Tax Repeal Veto

(Springfield, IL) —State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) today dinged Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s decision to veto a repeal of Cook County’s 1% sales tax increase.

“The people of Cook County are hurting,” said Kotowski. “We need tax relief, and we need it now.”

Well, Cook County actually needed it yesterday. But now will do.

Earlier this year, Kotowski introduced legislation to ease the Cook County Board ability to override the County Board President’s veto, lowering the threshold from a four-fifths majority to a three-fifths majority.

The proposal, Senate Bill 1868, is currently in the Illinois House Rules Committee where it faces an uncertain future. Ok, it’s not uncertain. It’s toast.

But just in case, Kotowski wants  to change the bill’s effective date to–immediately. Is that soon enough?

“Stroger’s decision earlier this week only reinforced the need for an easier veto override process,” said Kotowski.

Bingo.

Joining Kotowski as bill sponsors are Senators Jeff Schoenberg, Don Harmon, John Millner and State Representatives Paul Froehlich, Sid Mathias, Mark Walker, Fred Crespo and LaShawn Ford.