LISTEN TO OUR SHERIFF

Rock Island County Sheriff JEFF BOYD has been speaking out AGAINST the sales tax increases on the March 18th ballot. Sheriff Boyd points out that any money generated by the sales tax could simply displace existing budgeted money and might not lead to any new money going toward the purported purpose of the sales tax increase. Sheriff Boyd also said, as a voter, he's worried that raising sales taxes will fuel an exodus of shoppers across the river to Iowa. Bettendorf and Moline already have lower sales taxes than Moline and Rock Island. Sheriff Boyd said he has difficulty convincing members of his own family to buy gas in Rock Island County instead of in Davenport where fuel is 30 cents a gallon cheaper. Sheriff Boyd is right! Raising the Rock Island County sales tax to 8.75% on most purchases and to 10.25% on restaurants, prepared food and liquor, while the sales tax in Scott County is a flat 7.0% WILL fuel an exodus of Rock Island County shoppers across the river. Rock Island and Illinois government will collect less sales tax while Scott County and Iowa will collect more sales tax from Illinois consumers. Backers of the sales tax increase are correct. Passing this sales tax increase will help fund new school construction, IN IOWA! This is from the March 18,2014 election but these arguments still apply to the upcoming April 7, 2015 election.