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Preckwinkle tries again to defend pop tax

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Illinois

* From a pretty good Tribune story about the botched rollout of the Cook County pop tax…

Preckwinkle said she could not get commissioners to support a property tax increase, which she said might have been a “fairer” way to bring in the more than $200 million a year the pop tax is expected to raise.

“First and foremost, we needed revenue,” she said. “I never pretended otherwise.” […]

“I have said repeatedly that I’m going to try to run this government in a way that I don’t leave it worse off than when I came, and that I’m not just passing obligations, and indebtedness and burden to my children and my grandchildren, who will hopefully continue to live in Chicago,” said Preckwinkle, who lives in Hyde Park. “But that’s not easy.”

She pointed particularly at state government, which racked up $16 billion in bills during the record budget stalemate.

“It’s an example of just hopelessly irresponsible leadership, and I’m getting the stuffing beat out of me for imposing a tax on sweetened beverages, which are terrible for people,” Preckwinkle said. “It’s a little annoying.”

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:34 am

Comments

Please. Toni, drop this fight! It is unwinnable! I dont care how much money Bloomberg dumps into local TV, there is not enough cover in the world to shield you and the supporters of this tax from the wrath of voters. Its a bad tax and its inflicting series wounds on your future in government and politics.

Comment by anon Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:36 am
*serious

Comment by anon Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:36 am
But, but…she said it was “for the children”…now she says it was all about revenue.

Comment by A Stounded Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:40 am
A bit of advice for Toni. Stop referring to this as a “sweetened” beverage tax. It isn’t. It’s a beverage tax. If we’re going to tax things that are “terrible for people” we can go up and down the aisles of the grocery store and choose from a whole host of things. By acknowledging that she couldn’t get a property tax through she’s making it clear that this isn’t really about health.

Comment by Pundent Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:41 am
Boykin would be a fool to not run against her and the beverage industry would be fools if they didn’t give him $5 Million to do it.

Comment by Fax Machine Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:43 am
Messaging is so confused on this very unpopular tax - Bloomberg backed ads pitch health issues, Preckwinkle pushes revenue. Which is it ?

Comment by Texas Red Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:44 am
“Preckwinkle said she could not get commissioners to support a property tax increase…”

She is even more disconnected from reality than I thought.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:45 am
–“First and foremost, we needed revenue,” she said. “I never pretended otherwise.”–

Well the Bloomberg ads certainly convey a different message. The newest one says the money generated will go to public health services. Funny, considering the layoffs when it was temporarily blocked were mostly from public safety. I guess that falsehood sounds better than “the money will go to pay for services we are already providing.”

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:54 am
In all fairness, we’re making her choose between it being about “revenue” and it being about “health”… why can’t it be about both? They aren’t mutually exclusive.

And to address the thought about taxing all unhealthy items in the grocery store… imagine the attack she’d get if she did that! I mean, isn’t it better that she chose one subset of unhealthy items to tax instead of all?

I for one, am happy that a political debate is finally about a nuanced issue. Rational people could see both sides of this argument. I hope this ultimately becomes something upon which we can have substantive dialogue about our desires of and the responsibilities of our elected officials and not just “who supports Trump”

Comment by anon Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:59 am
Friday evening we took a short drive to Lake County to load up on Diet Ice Tea of all things. We had dinner, filled up the gas tank, then loaded the car with “sweetened” beverages.. All to the loss of Cook County. Oh by the way the store we visited has now added 2 more isles for beverages since we were there a month ago.

Comment by blankster Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 9:59 am
==Preckwinkle said. “It’s a little annoying.”==

Sorry. Um, you know what’s annoying everybody else, Toni?

Comment by Responsa Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:04 am
Finally the admission- this was just a 200 million tax disguised as a health program. Better to just trim 200 from the bloat in the CC budget

Comment by Sue Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:06 am
What I haven’t understood since IRMA went to war over the soda tax is since when are Sin Taxes bad? Shouldn’t they be the first line of taxation?

Comment by IRLJ Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:08 am
President Preckwinkle is in need of an intervention. She is addicted to her ego. Just admit that the people do not want this tax. Let it go and work with the board and find an alternative.

Comment by Clueless Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:08 am
Cook County residents would be smart to make the trade.

Roll back the pop tax, and take the threatened budget cuts.

From the sidelines, this is entertaining. Democrats fightIng amongst themselves about the best way to gig citizens for their big expensive government nightmare.

Comment by cdog Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:09 am
== since when are Sin Taxes bad? Shouldn’t they be the first line of taxation?==

No.

Comment by Responsa Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:17 am
“Hopelessly irresponsible leadership” is not reforming the unsustainable pensions that are causing the huge tax increases that are bankrupting, Chicago, Cook County and Illinois.

Which side will Democratic politicians choose? Their middle class constituents whose taxes are skyrocketing or special interest government union groups.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:25 am
you cannot have it both ways. you billed it as a tax in health interests of the kids and now you admit it’s just a revenue thing. who are you anymore, Toni? this + your support of Berrios = you are a huge disappointment.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 10:46 am
== since when are Sin Taxes bad? Shouldn’t they be the first line of taxation?==

The first federal tax was the excise tax on alcohol. At the time, Alexander Hamiliton said it had the benefit of encouraging temperance.

Unfortunately, had the County simply gone deeper into debt, like the State, it would’ve been far less controversial than raising a tax to balance the budget. It’s clear opponents don’t want to raise property taxes either.

Comment by anon2 Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 11:10 am
How come I have this strange feeling that Todd Stroger is laughing hysterically at what’s going on for Preckwinkle now?
Didn’t she beat him on his horrible 1% sales tax increase? I believe that sales tax came back a year and a half after she took office.

Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 11:20 am
When Prohibition went into effect in 1920, lots of Chicagoans started making their own beverages. Has there been a surge of sales by Cook County consumers buying those home pop-making gizmos?

Well, maybe there isn’t as much entrepreneurship now as there was in our grandparents’ day.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 11:25 am
I am opposed to type II diabetes. Therefore I support the soda tax. Diabetes is an external cost of soda.

It is time that the price of soda be in line with its cost.

Comment by Heath Manne Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 11:46 am
Health manne

no one is not allowing you to support the type 2 diabetes issue as long as you dont require others to support a nanny state agenda
support it all you want sell your car take out a mortgage on your house if you feel that strongly just dont expect others to follow you down that path

Comment by anon Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:02 pm
>try to run this government in a way that I don’t leave it worse off than when I came, and that I’m not just passing obligations, and indebtedness and burden to my children and my grandchildren,

I celebrate all Illinois political leaders who commit to balancing budgets by owning either unpopular cuts or unpopular revenues. There are great debates to be had about both expense and revenue, but they don’t mean much without the courage to own unpopular choices.

Comment by Earnest Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:02 pm
Health manne

Is there scientific proof that artificially sweetened drinks, which are taxed under this law, also cause diabetes?

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:04 pm
type 2 diabetes is not just related to soda its caused by carbohydrates included in all foods
its the excess consumption of carbs over time that causes it
one can have type 2 diabetes and never drink soda
change your argument

Comment by anon Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:06 pm
==When Prohibition went into effect in 1920, lots of Chicagoans started making their own beverages. Has there been a surge of sales by Cook County consumers buying those home pop-making gizmos?==

No, but Prohibition was nationwide, not located solely within one county. Instead, we have seen a sharp increase in the purchase of goods in bordering counties. The convenience store down the street from me (in Will County) has seen a 600% increase in soda sales since the tax went into effect.

Comment by CCB Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:06 pm
Preckwinkle famously stood with Ben Franklin in an ad and proclaimed that a penny saved is a penny earned. I think she’s learning that the hard way.

Comment by TKMH Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:37 pm
Isn’t it ironic that the feds have declared SNAP recipients cannot be charged the beverage tax, but isn’t that population the one we are trying to save from consuming too much sugar?

Where is the deterrence if there is no tax?

The mudslide of public opinion seems to be gaining speed as justifications are shown to be a sham.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:37 pm
Here is some science:

https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/diet-soda-and-diabetes/

The so-called “nanny state” is totally irrelevant to this issue. It is simply bringing the price in line with its cost by reducing the external costs.

Comment by Heath Manne Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:46 pm
SNAP should not be used to buy soda, just like it can’t for booze.

Comment by Dia W Frizt Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 12:48 pm
===“It’s a little annoying.”===

That one could cost her. I could see it in the next ad…

Comment by Boone's is Back Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 1:00 pm
Yes Todd Stroger is laughing hysterically

Comment by Austinman Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 1:15 pm
How many Cook County Commissioners will jump of the cliff for Madam President?

Comment by Preck wreck Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 1:41 pm
S T O P R A I S I N G T A X E S as the first option and actually take the time to assess the County’s priorities and obligations, revenue-generating and regulatory environment, economic activity and opportunities (you know, govern) and then C U T before nickle-and-diming residents for more.

Comment by ChgoSphinx Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 2:29 pm
Interestingly, cigarettes were thought of as healthy and the Tobacco companies fought the taxes on their product just as hard as the American Beverage Association.

Just saying.

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

Comment by Mike Cirrincione Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 3:33 pm
Tax Sin Taxes. And Syntaxes. In the black by ‘19….

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 3:58 pm
Great to have the backin’ of that former GOP mayor from the big city out east, but I don’t think our soda-sipping folks in Cook are going to be convinced. Yep, we may be lookin’ at a County President Richard Boykin.

Comment by Chad Monday, Sep 25, 17 @ 4:48 pm