From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…
(CHICAGO) Visiting a Hyde Park barbershop that could potentially be hit by Rahm Emanuel’s haphazard plan to raise taxes, mayoral candidate Gery Chico again criticized the Rahm Tax as one of the largest expansions of the sales tax in city history at the absolute worst time.
“Need a plumber? Pay the Rahm Tax. Need a taxi? Pay the Rahm Tax. Need to park your car? Pay the Rahm Tax,” Gery Chico said. “If Rahm Emanuel gets his way, we will all pay the Rahm Tax.”
The Rahm Tax could be a nine percent increase on everyday services, including things families rely on a daily basis like barber shops, car repair, home repairs, plumbing, laundry, bowling and movie tickets. The Rahm Tax would also hurt small businesses and kill jobs by creating a massive new burden on employers.
Ron Harris, who owns a small barbershop in Hyde Park with six employees, said he would likely have to pass the Rahm Tax to his customers, who were recently socked with a whopper state income tax increase.
By contrast, Chico supports incorporating e-tailers into the tax rolls as a far more responsible way to raise revenues. Chico supports House Bill 3659, which currently awaits Gov. Quinn’s signature.
Unlike Rahm Emanuel, who left his post in Washington D.C. with a $1.4 trillion deficit, Gery Chico has accomplished big ideas while also forcing government to live within its means. Chico has balanced 16 budgets throughout his career without raising new revenues and cut taxes at the City Colleges, returning close to $3 million to Chicago taxpayers.
Chico served as mayoral chief of staff, school board president, president of the Chicago Park District and chairman of the City Colleges. For more information, please visit www.GeryChico.com.