Todd Explains Taxes

The subject was ever-increasing cigarette taxes, and the guest on WGN-AM 720 Wednesday morning was Cook County Board President Todd Stroger.

Host John Williams asked: Isn't it unfair to keep targeting smokers with tax increases?

"That is the American way," Stroger replied. "And the way that it's generally done is, you find some group that's small enough where they can't beat you up, and you tax them and you tell everybody else, 'See? We didn't tax you.' "

See?! And who's he coming for next? My guess? It'll be you folks getting drive-thru cheeseburgers.

If that's not enough, another serious threat facing the Cook County taxpayer: Todd is now gouging you for a $400 million-a-year windfall from its unneeded sales tax hike and also wants to increase your debt by more than a quarter-billion dollars.

As Bob from Cook County writes,

"What everyone has known all along; politicians at all levels in Illinois have a license to steal. No other county in America has a budget director as incompetent as Stroger's cousin. No other county in America employs as many dead beats as Cook County. No other county in America pays their budget director more than a doctor makes.

In most states the legislature would step in and threaten to cut off funding until the mess is fixed. Here? The speaker of the house would never do that given he needs the 8th ward vote to make his daughter senator or governor.

We are the next Detroit if this doesnt stop."

I completely agree with you "Bob." Last one out, please shut off the lights. Or, you could try this gathering I heard about. Be sure to gesture loudly expecting to make a stand on the issue.... (unlikely, but you'll feel like you did something for about 3 hours afterward.)