Chicago Now Has America's Highest Sales Tax

Officials say they're trying to stay ahead of 'pension tsunami'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 16, 2015 1:33 AM CDT
Chicago Now Has America's Highest Sales Tax
Chicago now leads the nation in sales taxes.   (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

A penny here and a penny there has added up to decimated wallets for people in Chicago, who now have the highest sales taxes in America. In a move that takes effect Jan. 1, Cook County has raised its sales tax from 0.75% to 1.75%, bringing the total sales tax for Windy City residents to 10.25%, including city and state taxes, Consumerist reports. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle campaigned on a promise to roll back sales tax, the Chicago Sun-Times reports, but she says the tax hike is the only way to deal with a $6.5 billion pension funding shortage she calls a "pension tsunami." (The Navajo Nation is bringing in America's first junk-food tax.)

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