Chicago Suburb Might Secede From County to Avoid High Sales Tax
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Chicago suburb is considering seceding from its county after board leaders approved a steep sales tax increase to meet budget needs.
Palatine wants to explore seceding from Cook County to avoid the double-digit sales tax that could push business elsewhere.
The board on Saturday approved the 1 percent increase, which drives Cook County's overall sales tax to double digits, 10.25 percent.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cook County Board President Todd Stroger pushed the higher sales tax in the 2008 budget to help account for a budget shortfall. The sales tax would raise the county's sales tax to double digits, more than any other major U.S. city.
A nearby county has a 6.25 percent sales tax, which scares small-business owners like Nancy Martino. Martino runs a hardware store in Palatine.
"People will make a choice to go somewhere else," she said. "I couldn't believe that they allowed it to happen."
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