Bad Santa: Sobering ‘sin taxes’ in Illinois among nation’s highest

By Vincent Caruso

12/19/2018

Excise taxes have failed to rehabilitate Illinois’ failing fiscal health. But lawmakers have yet to kick the habit.

TAGS: alcohol tax, amusement tax, cigarette tax, excise tax, soda tax, taxes

Repeal Day: Illinois’ sobering alcohol taxes, regulations a reminder of Prohibition

By Vincent Caruso

12/05/2018

With the ratification of the 21st Amendment, 1933 marked the end of Prohibition in the United States. The Land of Lincoln, however, has continued to serve a cocktail of prohibitive regulations on alcoholic beverages.

TAGS: alcohol tax, Liquor Control Act, liquor laws, soda tax, taxes

Coke County: Townships overwhelmingly reject bringing back soda tax

By Joe Barnas

11/07/2018

Voters across seven Cook County townships strongly oppose a return of the sweetened beverage tax.

TAGS: Cook County, soda tax, Toni Preckwinkle

Candy crush: Illinois slaps sales tax on Snickers, but not Twix

By Travis Nix

06/25/2018

State lawmakers should reform Illinois’ overly complicated sales taxes and other anti-business taxes, which violate guiding principles of sound tax policy.

TAGS: Chicago, franchise tax, plastic bags, sales tax, soda tax, taxes

Cook County’s notorious soda tax ends today

By Chris Lentino

12/01/2017

With the repeal of the Cook County sweetened beverage tax, taxpayers remind elected officials who they represent.

TAGS: Cook County, soda tax, Toni Preckwinkle

Cook County’s budget problems stem from massive growth in payrolls

By Chris Lentino

10/16/2017

The average salary for Cook County workers has far outpaced that of the typical Cook County household since 2001, and that’s contributed to the county’s fiscal ills.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, property taxes, soda tax, Toni Preckwinkle

Taxpayers should flex their muscle, pick their punches

By Austin Berg

10/12/2017

If aggrieved taxpayers don’t also demand fixes to underlying spending problems, calls for additional tax hikes will return. And they’ll be stronger than ever.

TAGS: Cook County, income tax, sales tax, soda tax, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle

Taxpayer victory: Cook County soda tax repealed

By Chris Lentino

10/11/2017

With the repeal of the Cook County sweetened beverage tax, taxpayers remind elected officials who they represent.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, soda tax, taxes

Sweetened beverage tax repeal passes out of committee

By Brendan Bakala

10/10/2017

The Cook County Board Finance Committee voted Oct. 10 in favor of an ordinance to repeal the unpopular sweetened beverage tax. The repeal measure now awaits a vote before the full board.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, soda tax, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle

Preckwinkle admits soda tax was ‘first and foremost’ about revenue

By Chris Lentino

10/05/2017

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle shared an admission that the soda tax was always about revenue.

TAGS: Cook County, municipal pensions, soda tax, Teamsters, Toni Preckwinkle