Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania’s Columns
  • Advertise
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
    • Submit a Press Release
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Seniors
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • EVENTS
  • Toggle search form
  • Vehicle crashes into Orland Park Post Office on 114th Place.
    Car crashes into Orland Park post Office accident
  • Dads' Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    CLE at Leving firm to focus on conflicts of interest in family law cases Jeffery Leving
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings urges residents to apply for energy bill assistance program Frankfort
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas
    Pappas’ office helps Chicago couple get $2,447 property tax refund Blogger
  • The Orland Fire Protection District hosted its 22nd annual commemoration to honor and remember the victims of the terrorist attacks that took place on Sept. 11, 2001 during a ceremony at the Fire District
    Orland Firefighters host commemoration to remember victims of Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Events
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings pleased to see more than $700,000 in grants awarded to local hotels Business
  • Cicero celebrates Mexican Independence with festivities and parade
    Cicero celebrates Mexican Independence with festivities and parade Culture
  • Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, 15th Ward, champions rights of Chicago residents
    Ray Lopez leads and champions rights of Chicago residents Chicago
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings, 19th Senate District
    Hastings reminds residents to make a plan during National Preparedness Month Features
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Big franchise restaurants have turned a “tip” into corporate welfare Blogger
  • Photo courtesy of PRIMETIME Sports and SeatGeek Stadium
    SeatGeek features competition between Club Deportivo Guadalajara and Club Leon on Saturday Sept. 9 News
  • Veteran Diana Howard addresses a disrespectful Village of Orland Park Village Board meeting on August 21, 2023. She was viciously attacked in Mayor Pekau's eNewsletter
    Veteran Diana Howard courageously confronts abusive Orland Park Mayor Blogger
  • Fathers Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    Dads’ Rights Victory: In battle of aunts, our client gains time with orphaned niece Blogger
  • Village representatives, led by Mayor Chris Getty, met at 7905 Ogden Avenue on Friday Sept. 1 for the grand opening of Strive Fitness. Pictured is owner Shawn Groll and Village President Christopher Getty
    Mayor Chris Getty and Village officials celebrate opening of Strive Fitness Business
  • OFPD receive International Accredited Agency status. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District OFPD
    Orland Fire Protection District receives the nation’s highest accreditation honor Fire

Raising taxes is never about healthy living

Posted on October 25, 2016November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Raising taxes is never about healthy living
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Loading

Raising taxes is never about healthy living

Instead of raising taxes on soda pop, how about cutting the obscene $4.4 billion a year budget for Cook County. Merge Cook County into Township government. Eliminate redundancies that are outrageous. End the double dipping pensions and payrolls politicians in Cook County now get.

Published in the Southwest News-Herald Oct. 20, 2016

By Ray Hanania

I’ve been drinking Coke and Diet Coke now for more than 40 years, so I kind of take offense when Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says she’s concerned about the public health and wants to impose a draconian sales tax hike on soft drinks.

What is troubling to me is how politicians slam things like smoking cigarettes, car pollution, drinking alcohol, and drinking pop because it’s “not healthy.”

If smoking cigarettes are so bad, why not ban them? Why not ban alcohol, if it is so bad for our health? Why not ban all soft drinks, too, or limit how far we can drive in our cars?

It’s not about our health and never was. It is about money. Your money. And the special word they use to refer to “your money” is “taxes”. They need your taxes and they think that they can waste our taxes by pitting tax hikes against “caring” for our health.

People who smoke cigarettes pay more for taxes than they do for the cigarettes. And they’re smoking because society has made smoking luxurious. Just watch the old movies. Humphrey Bogart rarely had a line without puffing on a cigarette. Lucille Ball (Lucy Ricardo) smoked all the time, too.

English: Toni Preckwinkle
English: Toni Preckwinkle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The truth is in this overburdened world, we should be able to make our own choices. If I want to smoke, that’s my choice, until you take it away.

And if I want to keep drinking Diet Coke, that’s my choice, too. I don’t need any “political holy roller” to moralize about how I should conduct my life.

Why don’t you spend your time conducting your own life, like eliminating all the waste in the governments you run? How about starting with cutting back on all those fat pensions government officials give themselves, or limiting people to one pension, not two pensions, not three pensions, and not four pensions funded through “public service”.

I’m against the outrageous increase in taxes on the sale of soft drinks. Preckwinkle wants to charge one penny more per ounce, on top of the nearly 10 percent sales tax we now pay throughout many areas of Cook County.

Embed from Getty Images

Why does she need the money?

To balance the county’s budget?

When my home budget is more than my revenues, I cut out a lot of the frills. We travel less. We buy less. We spend less.

Maybe Cook County should give it a try?

Listen to the podcast by clicking here or using the podcast widget below:

Sure, they don’t have the same level of services that Cook County “claims” to offer its citizens. But the taxes are so much more affordable. People there live comfortable and safe lives.

Maybe Preckwinkle should look into merging county government. It’s too big. It’s redundant. The overlap is obscene.

Don’t tax my pop Toni. As a suburbanite, I get so very little from Cook County as it is now. And I know most Chicagoans get so very little from Cook County, too.

I bet if you shut down Cook County for one month, the world would figure a way to survive without spending $4.4 billion. That’s $4.4 billion that Cook County now spends. To do what? Manage a forest preserve district that could be better managed by local governments? Continue to poorly run our jails that should be privately contracted? Privatize the hospitals that most county residents don’t use anyway?

Keep the courts, and some record keeping, but get rid of the rest.

I think the suburbs should dissolve all of county government and make a clean break from Cook County. We have township government that basically offers the same services, but more cheaply.

Let’s raise a can of Diet Coke to stop Preckwinkle’s tax hike, the same way we stopped Todd Stroger’s sales tax.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter. Email him at rghanania@gmail.com)

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Car crashes into Orland Park post Office - September 22, 2023
  • Hastings urges residents to apply for energy bill assistance program - September 18, 2023
  • Pappas’ office helps Chicago couple get $2,447 property tax refund - September 15, 2023
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland Tags:Cook County, Marty Stack, Paul O'Grady, sales tax increases, soda pop tax, Toni Preckwinkle, Will County

Post navigation

Previous Post: How can movie reviewers all be so wrong?
Next Post: Orland Park sidesteps the will of the people

Related Posts

  • HOBO is holding closing sales at all seven of its locations including Joliet and this store at 87th and Cicero in Oak Lawn. (Photo by Bob Bong)
    Bob Bong on Business: Hobo stores closing Business
  • The Orland Fire Protection District hosted its annual Open House for district residents which showcased an array of emergency response services to educate residents on best practices for ensuring public safety Thursday, July 13, 2023.
    Orland Fire Protection District annual Open House showcases its emergency response services Events
  • Cover of thebook "Still Burning" by former Chicago alderman Jeremiah Joyce published in 2021
    Former Alderman, State Senator Jeremiah Joyce author’s book on Chicago politics, race and more Blogger
  • Rob Cruz, District 229 Board, GOP candidate for 6th Congressional District
    Ousted District 229 School Trustee threatens lawsuit over his removal from office Cook County
  • 3rd Congressional District Congresswoman Marie Newman
    Newman leads colleagues in urging Biden to restore National Vaccine program office coronavirus
  • Oak Woods Cemetery view north side. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Memorial Day online News

More Related Articles

Late Legion Cmdr. honored News
Sprinklers required News
Mark Zuckerberg, Founder & CEO of Facebook, at the press conference about the e-G8 forum during the 37th G8 summit in Deauville, France. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Mark Zuckerberg calls for a “Universal Basic Income” Opinion
New Lenox offers Free CERT training New Lenox offers free Disaster Preparedness Training to residents Government
‘Light of our family’ News
Suspect Donato Valdez charged with impersonating a police officer and stopping car conducting a field sobriety test. Photo flyer courtesy of the Cicero Police Department Cicero Police charge suspect with impersonating a police officer  breaking news

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas
    Pappas’ office helps Chicago couple get $2,447 property tax refund
    September 15, 2023
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Big franchise restaurants have turned a “tip” into corporate welfare
    September 9, 2023
  • Veteran Diana Howard addresses a disrespectful Village of Orland Park Village Board meeting on August 21, 2023. She was viciously attacked in Mayor Pekau's eNewsletter
    Veteran Diana Howard courageously confronts abusive Orland Park Mayor
    September 6, 2023
  • Fathers Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    Dads’ Rights Victory: In battle of aunts, our client gains time with orphaned niece
    September 3, 2023
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas
    Taxpayers get help finding refunds for overpayments, missed exemptions
    August 31, 2023
  • Statue of Liberty. Photo courtesy of Fabian Fauth on Unsplash
    America weakened by bullying, hatred and media hypocrisy
    August 24, 2023

Subscribe

  • Ray-Hanania-Newsletter-300-wide-Banner.jpg

Trending

  • Vehicle crashes into Orland Park Post Office on 114th Place. Car crashes into Orland P... Car crashes into Orland Park post Office At approximately 1:49 PM on Thursd... posted on September 22, 2023
  • Veteran Diana Howard addresses a disrespectful Village of Orland Park Village Board meeting on August 21, 2023. She was viciously attacked in Mayor Pekau's eNewsletter Veteran Diana Howard cour... Veteran Diana Howard courageously confronts abusive Orland Park Mayor By Ra... posted on September 6, 2023
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon Hastings urges residents... Hastings urges residents to apply for energy bill assistance program State... posted on September 18, 2023
  • Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon Commissioner Monica Gordo... Commissioner Monica Gordon Announces Advisory Council to Address Violence P... posted on August 27, 2023
  • Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez courtesy of Twitter Chicago Aldermen set to r... Chicago Aldermen set to reestablish limits to Welcoming City Ordinance  Fol... posted on August 28, 2023
  • NEWS
  • Vehicle crashes into Orland Park Post Office on 114th Place.
    Car crashes into Orland Park post Office
    September 22, 2023
  • Dads' Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    CLE at Leving firm to focus on conflicts of interest in family law cases
    September 19, 2023
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings urges residents to apply for energy bill assistance program
    September 18, 2023
  • The Orland Fire Protection District hosted its 22nd annual commemoration to honor and remember the victims of the terrorist attacks that took place on Sept. 11, 2001 during a ceremony at the Fire District
    Orland Firefighters host commemoration to remember victims of Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks
    September 13, 2023
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings pleased to see more than $700,000 in grants awarded to local hotels
    September 13, 2023
  • Cicero celebrates Mexican Independence with festivities and parade
    Cicero celebrates Mexican Independence with festivities and parade
    September 13, 2023
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

The Political Pundit

Political Pundit Aug. 24, 2021. Taliban thanks president for boxes of MAGA hats
  • WORD PRESS REVIEWS
  • MyCloud by Western Digital, a hard drive that doesn't last. Don't purchase Western Digital.
    Western Digital tubes its loyal customers for profit
    October 17, 2021
  • Macho Themes website front page. Don't buy their themes. They don't work
    Difficulties with Macho Themes for WordPress
    August 21, 2021
  • TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS
  • Orland Fire Protection District acquires 6 Stryker Xpedition Powered Stair Chairs to more easily and safely rescue victims in emergencies
    Orland Fire District utilizes new technology to increase emergency victim safety
    August 20, 2023
  • Suspect Alisa Velcu charged in Verion Store theft July 26, 2023 in Bloomington, Illinois. Mugshot supplied by the DuPage County State's Attorney
    Bond Set for Two Women Charged with Robbing Bloomingdale Verizon Wireless Store
    July 26, 2023
  • The Village of Orland Hills, Mayor Kyle Hastings State Senator Michael Hastings and Orland Township Highway Commissioner Antonio Rubino are partnering to host a Free "Shred and E-Recycling" day for families to be held Saturday August 26, 2023.
    Orland Hills to host “Shred and E-Recycling Day” Saturday August 26, 2023
    July 18, 2023

Follow Ray Hanania at
Gab.com, MeWe.com
IDobbinate.com,
Twitter, Facebook

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Ziyad Brothers Ad Taste of Middle East

Events

  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols hosts Open House Sept. 30, 2023
    State Rep. Cyril Nichols hosts Open House Sept. 30, 2023
    30 Sep 23
    Ford City Shopping Mall, Chicago
  • Rubino and Hastings host Hazardous Waste Recycling Event Oct. 14
    Rubino and Hastings host Hazardous Waste Recycling Event Oct. 14
    14 Oct 23
    Orland Park
  • United Citizens Party hosts annual Fundraiser Oct. 21, 2023
    United Citizens Party hosts annual Fundraiser Oct. 21, 2023
    21 Oct 23
    Countryside

What We’re Reading

Arab News Newspaper Leading English Language Publication in the GulfArab News Newspaper

Ray Hanania on Politics
SW News Newspaper Group

  • SPORTS
  • Photo courtesy of PRIMETIME Sports and SeatGeek Stadium
    SeatGeek features competition between Club Deportivo Guadalajara and Club Leon on Saturday Sept. 9
    September 8, 2023
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Senator Michael Hasting ensures degraded former Tinley Park Mental Health Center to be revitalized into a sports park in new law
    May 24, 2023
  • Michael Schofield III Sports Complex, Orland Park. Scoreboard
    Kendall and Michael Schofield Family Foundation Sponsor Park Redevelopment
    May 23, 2023
  • Chicago Hounds rugby at Seat Geek Stadium July 8, 2023
    Chicago Hounds rugby announce plans for Dawg Town block party
    May 11, 2023
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Dads' Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    CLE at Leving firm to focus on conflicts of interest in family law cases
    September 19, 2023
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings urges residents to apply for energy bill assistance program
    September 18, 2023
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings pleased to see more than $700,000 in grants awarded to local hotels
    September 13, 2023
  • Cicero celebrates Mexican Independence with festivities and parade
    Cicero celebrates Mexican Independence with festivities and parade
    September 13, 2023
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings, 19th Senate District
    Hastings reminds residents to make a plan during National Preparedness Month
    September 11, 2023
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings pleased to see more than $700,000 in grants awarded to local hotels
    September 13, 2023
  • Village representatives, led by Mayor Chris Getty, met at 7905 Ogden Avenue on Friday Sept. 1 for the grand opening of Strive Fitness. Pictured is owner Shawn Groll and Village President Christopher Getty
    Mayor Chris Getty and Village officials celebrate opening of Strive Fitness
    September 1, 2023
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Financial ratings agency raises rating for Lyons Township Government
    August 25, 2023
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Measure by State Senator Michael Hastings to secure the South Suburban Airport now law
    July 28, 2023

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Click this link to watch or use the widget below:

Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.
Email Ray Hanania for more information about performing at your event at rghanania@gmail.com.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme