Monday, October 15, 2012

Here a Tax, There a Tax

  • Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is considering a new tax on every slot machine and video poker game in the county as she puts the final touches on the budget proposal she will present Thursday, aides said.

    Owners of gambling devices would be required to buy an $800 sticker to place on each machine. Next year, the tax could generate a bit more than $1 million, a relatively small sum in comparison to the $115 million hole Preckwinkle must plug to balance her budget.


    The slot machine tax is in keeping with the same philosophy Preckwinkle applied last week to a potential tax on guns and bullets — a way to generate money to help the county deal with problems caused by a particular product.
Yeah, and then Preckwinkle is going to be dealing with another local phenomenon - increased unemployment.  Look at the ammo tax she's proposing - the few remaining gun shops in suburban Cook County will just close up and move out. We're sure the number is under ten.  And the sporting good stores might just stop carrying ammo at all if they aren't selling it.

The tax on gaming machines is already a losing proposition when you read this other article:
  • As Mayor Rahm Emanuel pursues efforts to win a cash-generating casino for Chicago, public support for a major gambling expansion in Illinois has faded, a new Tribune/WGN-TV poll shows.

    The survey results show growing opposition to new casinos and video slots at horse racing tracks, contrasting sharply with a similar poll conducted in February. The latest poll findings also appear to show that voters back Gov. Pat Quinn's decision to veto the legislature's latest gambling expansion bill in August.


    Lawmakers have twice approved measures to allow five new gambling palaces for Chicago, Rockford, Danville, the south suburbs and Park City in Lake County, but Quinn has raised many concerns to block the measures.
Support for gambling to bail Illinois out of its problems has dropped to 43% and shows no signs of regaining the momentum it had a year ago.  Not good news for Rahm or Quinn.  Or connected investors like the Outfit.

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31 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...


The poll?

It doesn't matter what the people think. If the mayor says "it's necessary" followed by some other b.s. the 50 bobbleheads in the city council will pass it and it's a done deal.

Like a $55 million dollar Maggie Daley park. Who wanted that and what is it going to bring to the average taxpayer here. A big ZERO. No, we shut down mental health clinics to save $51 million and then blow $55 million on an ex-mayors ego. The hell.

10/15/2012 12:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Oh no I'm not going to tax you tee-hee-hee it's the cook county pres's turn in the barrel. She's gonna tax you and then give the city there share of the rev's.

If you think that's a joke. Look what happened with the soc-sec FICA payroll tax. The Fed issued a 2% cut in the tax and the state of Illinois immediately increased the state income tax by 2% taking the entire tax break away.

Meanwhile Washington braggs about the middle class tax breaks and all they've done. They ain't done shit here but you don't see ANY of the media talking about that. Soc-sec is going bust even faster because of this move. Less money is going into the plan.

They're playing games with us. A shell game. They're doing it with our social security and they're doing it with your pensions. How many government agencies are even doing their jobs?

10/15/2012 12:31:00 AM  
Anonymous xcop7903 said...

Just keep fleecing the suckers. What a brilliant idea. Hard to say who is more pathetic, the immoral, lying, thieving, politiscum, or the brain dead, masochistic, voters who keep them in office.

10/15/2012 01:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clearly Quinn & Emanuel need to fight it out in the ring-to the death!

10/15/2012 01:14:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

City taxes,County taxes,State taxes and Federal taxes...There is a new tax that you will love..The United Nations Global Poverty Tax. Thank you Obama & Hilary Clinton.

10/15/2012 05:33:00 AM  
Anonymous Kill All The Politicians! said...

City Red-light Camera Vendor Under Scrutiny
Ties between ex-city official, contractor questioned; payment of $910 hotel tab also at issue

"...That group, run by a political ally of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, backed the mayor's successful push to expand the city's camera program to target speeders. The Emanuel administration now has the authority to pepper half the city with cameras that could tag speeders in school and park "safety zones" for tickets as high as $100. And Redflex is a top contender for the new business.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-chicago-red-light-cameras-1014-20121014,0,5430064.story

10/15/2012 05:49:00 AM  
Anonymous Am I Being Too Cynical Here? said...

Gee, Rahm must be pissed that Daley is STILL getting the kickbacks from this scam!



City To Audit Parking Meter Deal

Emanuel wants to make sure firm is living up to agreement

"...But Emanuel spokeswoman Kathleen Strand would not say what — if anything — the mayor will do if the audit finds evidence the company violated the terms of its contract."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-emanuel-parking-meters-1015-20121015,0,7498622.story




Maybe if he catches them dirty, HE can start collecting the kickbacks instead of Daley...

10/15/2012 05:57:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How about reducing the pension of Cook County Board President and all the Commissioners?

Remember Bobbie Steele? Former Cook County Board Commissioner? She jacked up her pension so it was based on her 4 MONTH STINT as Board President instead of just a lowly Commissioner. That 4 months as Board President increased her pension by about $67,000. She got 80% of the entire President's salary of around $180,000 for serving for 4 months.

And it is the police and fire pensions that are the problem, not the crooked bastard politicians guarding the treasury.

Both Bobbie Steele and Todd Stroger get that 80% pension. Todd would never be able to earn that amount in private industry, he would be a doorman on some high rise building on Lake Shore Drive is probably the best he could do. But in County Government, hell, it is Crook County.

Now if Toni Prenkwinkle were serious about reducing costs she would work to reduce those astronomical Cook County Board pensions.

At least she only has one Cook County Black Chevy Suburban and one former CPD bodyguard, not a battalion like Daley, Burke and Neely.

10/15/2012 06:21:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i don't think they would ever put a casino in park city,il
reason 1. you want to put it as acessible as possible ( like right off the tollway) 2. look at all vermin it would attract from n.chicago and waukegan, zion kenosha( they play lottery anyways)
just would be one big hassle
every night

10/15/2012 06:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Mt Greenwood Hillbilly said...

Thank God I'm an Indiana hillbilly now.

10/15/2012 07:20:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't remember anyone wanting more speed cameras either.

It s for the kids mask Brizzard.

10/15/2012 08:10:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tax beer distributors more. After all, they make money off the misery of alcoholism.

Oh wait...some vices are backed by clout.

10/15/2012 08:26:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like how this Neanderthal blamed Reagan for the war on drugs .... all the while her jails are filled with morons who violated STATE LAW, not federal law.


Stupid fucking liberal

10/15/2012 08:28:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

DemocRATS love spending other people's money. Their constituents love taking other people's money. They breed more than anyone else. They are supported by brain dead libtards with white guilt complexes. This town will always be DemocRAT and always be broke.

10/15/2012 08:29:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Um, Prickwinkle could always cut expenses instead of trying to figure out new ways to raise revenues. Our state income tax was just increased 67% and the state still can't pay its bills. We still have some of the highest sales taxes in the country and its still not enough money for these politicians. Cut spending. You have run out of other peoples money.

10/15/2012 08:43:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

some one should look at the tax breaks that are given by the city and the state to different cos. and what benefit is derived from the tax breaks. which ones are friends of rahm, burke, richie? have they contributed to their election? the bga is too busy to find the real truth.

10/15/2012 10:14:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shut down mental health clinics to save 51 millions and blow 55 millions for a park named after the ex-mayor. Hmm put the mentals in the park.

10/15/2012 10:54:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How about a tax on bad perms Toni?

10/15/2012 01:30:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

After that bad parking meter deal nothing should be named after Daley! It's not the good things you do ,but the last thing you did that was bad that you get credit for!

10/15/2012 06:28:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't think any store that takes LINK cards should sell lottery tickets.

10/15/2012 06:42:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OT-Kind of:
Does Shorty still have his police security? If so, how long is that going to go on?

10/15/2012 06:44:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wasn't the water bottle tax excuse that it would deter pollution?

Anybody have any numbers on how effective that was?

10/15/2012 06:47:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shut down mental health clinics to save 51 millions and blow 55 millions for a park named after the ex-mayor. Hmm put the mentals in the park.

10/15/2012 10:54:00 AM

You do know the ex-mayor's name is not Maggie, right?

10/15/2012 07:40:00 PM  
Blogger TWENTY and OUT said...

Gee is it really that tough to figure out why Quinn opposes a Chicago casino??? No, just find out which casino(s) are kicking Quinn $, comps, and other favors to keep a competing Chicago casino at bay....

10/15/2012 08:02:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Tax beer distributors more. After all, they make money off the misery of alcoholism."

Illinois already has some of the highest liquor taxes in the country. The increased distributor tax will only be passed on to you and I, anyway.

Furthermore, it doesn't make sense the you & I should have to pay for someone else's abuse of alcohol, particularly when such a small number of alcohol users are alcoholics. Make the alcoholics pay for their abuse.

And isn't it a >disease< now? Doesn't insurance/Medicaid cover it?

No more taxes. Government is going to have to learn to live within their means, just like everyone else.

10/15/2012 09:47:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Gee, Rahm must be pissed that Daley is STILL getting the kickbacks from this scam!"

He's following in Daley's footsteps; Sunday's Trib had a cover story about improprieties in the speed camera company.

Surprise, surprise.

When will the voters stop electing these crooks?

10/15/2012 09:51:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
How about a tax on bad perms Toni?

10/15/2012 01:30:00 PM

Ironic that, back in the 60's, the biggest do-it-yourself home-perm company was called Toni.

10/16/2012 01:14:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"Tax beer distributors more. After all, they make money off the misery of alcoholism."

Illinois already has some of the highest liquor taxes in the country. The increased distributor tax will only be passed on to you and I, anyway.

Furthermore, it doesn't make sense the you & I should have to pay for someone else's abuse of alcohol, particularly when such a small number of alcohol users are alcoholics. Make the alcoholics pay for their abuse.

And isn't it a >disease< now? Doesn't insurance/Medicaid cover it?

No more taxes. Government is going to have to learn to live within their means, just like everyone else.

10/15/2012 09:47:00 PM
*******

It was sarcasm...and just pointing out that clout seems to determine what activity is a bad vice versus a normal behavior. BTW, anti socal behavior is considered a mental disorder (shooting someone is rather anti-social). Insurance covers it. Dont blame the tool or food item. Its the person who uses it that takes the responsibility.

I agree, we get taxed up the wazoo.

10/16/2012 07:41:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd rather fly to Las Vegas then give my money to these crooked ass Democrats in this State!

10/16/2012 08:34:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like the idea of a casino and gambling. It allows us to take back a large chunk of the welfare money from the losers because they're the ones most likely to frequent these places.

10/16/2012 10:21:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"It was sarcasm...and just pointing out that clout seems to determine what activity is a bad vice versus a normal behavior. BTW, anti socal behavior is considered a mental disorder (shooting someone is rather anti-social). Insurance covers it. Dont blame the tool or food item. Its the person who uses it that takes the responsibility.

I agree, we get taxed up the wazoo.
"

D'oh! I stand corrected...

10/17/2012 01:03:00 AM  

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