Help save our merchants, vote no on school sales tax

Lawrence Bay had this letter published in the March 5 Dispatch/Rock Island Argus. It also appeared in the March 9 Quad City Times. (..... marks paragraph breaks) "This March 2 there was only a difference of seven cents a gallon in gasoline prices between the BP stations in Rapids City and LeClaire, hardly enough to cause motorists to drive out of their way. As a result, Illinois should be collecting more motor fuel and sales tax revenue and this trend should continue unless Illinois raises taxes. ..... Instead, the geniuses in the Illinois Legislature are discussing raising the gasoline tax 13 cents per gallon and doubling the sales tax on food and drugs. Rock Island County will vote on April 7 whether to add another one percent to the sales tax. These taxes, if enacted, will only destroy any chance that Rock Island County merchants have to remain competitive with the Iowa Quad Cities. Illinois will collect less sales tax revenue as will the cities of Moline and Rock Island, stores may close causing the loss of property taxes and jobs. ..... For the state taxes all we can do is write letters to Gov. Bruce Rauner and our legislators but for the Rock Island County sales tax we have a direct vote. Vote NO on April 7 and you will help save Rock Island County merchants and the state of Illinois. You will also send a message to Springfield, "Don't raise our taxes.""