Monday, February 26, 2007

Rugai Voted to Triple the Home Heating Gas Tax

On December 15, 2004, Rugai voted to more than TRIPLE the City tax on home heating gas. A friend in another ward posted this info on her blog, but it also applies in the 19th.

AMENDMENT OF TITLES 3, 13 AND CREATION OF NEW TITLE 11, CHAPTER 4, SECTION 142 OF MUNICIPAL CODE OF CHICAGO CONCERNING FEES, FINES AND TAXES

... a tax is imposed on the privilege of using or consuming in the city gas that is purchased in a sale at retail. The tax shall be at the rate of [from 1.4 to] 5.2 cents per therm.

Yeas -- Aldermen Mores, Haithcock, Tillman, Preckwinkle, Hairston, Lyle, Beavers, Stroger, Beale, Pope, Baker, Ciudenas, Olivo, Burke, T. Thomas, Coleman, L. Thomas, Murphy, Rugai, Troutman, Brookins, Munoz, Zalewski, Chandler, Solis, Ocasio, Burnett, E. Smith, Carothers, Reboyras, Suarez, Matlak, Mell, Austin, Colon, Banks, Mitts, Allen, Laurino, O'Connor, Doherty, Natarus, Daley, Tunney, Levar, Shiller, Schulter, M. Smith, Moore, Stone -- 50.

Nays -- None.

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This regressive tax is especially unfair to lower income residents, who are more likely to have inefficient heating systems that use more fuel. How ironic that our city council could commit millions to the Block 37 superstation, yet they steal from the poor in this underhanded way, and steal from them again by contributing to the underfunding of the CTA.

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