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Taxpayer victory: Cook County soda tax repealed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

Illinois home to higher ‘sin taxes’ than every neighboring state

By Brendan Bakala

10/03/2017

Illinois ranks eighth in the nation for state and local excise and selective sales tax collections.

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

Cook County beverage sales decline in wake of pop tax

By Brendan Bakala

09/25/2017

A new report from Can the Tax and the Illinois Food Retailers Association shows that beverage sales for Cook County retailers are down since 2016.

TAGS: Cook County, Illinois Food Retailers Association, soda tax, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle

KFC parent company sued over improper application of Cook County soda tax

By Brendan Bakala

09/22/2017

Cook County’s penny-per-ounce sweetened beverage tax has led to another lawsuit alleging a restaurant applied the tax incorrectly.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, soda tax, taxes