Make Illinois competitive, say no to school sales tax

Carol Bay had the following letter published in the March 3, 2015 Dispatch/Rock Island Argus. ..... marks paragraph breaks. "For years the Illinois Quad-Cities has been at a retail disadvantage as shoppers go to Iowa to take advantage of lower taxes. ...... Almost twice as much sales tax is collected in Scott County compared to Rock Island County and perhaps half our motorists buy fuel in Iowa, paying for Iowa roads, schools and governments. ..... Iowa raised its tax on gasoline 10 cents per gallon removing the incentive to buy fuel in Iowa. This gives the retailers of the Illinois Quad Cities a golden opportunity to become competitive provided Illinois holds the line on taxes. ..... This also gives Illinois an opportunity to collect far more motor fuel tax in all the counties bordering Iowa and for the state and municipalities to collect more sales tax, but only if Illinois can refrain from raising taxes. ..... Instead, there are discussions on raising the Illinois motor fuel tax by 13 cents per gallon and doubling the sales tax on food and medicine (Iowa does not tax food and medicine). ..... On April 7 Rock Island County voters will decide whether to add another one percent to sales taxes that already are higher than Scott County's. ...... Illinois is at a crossroads. Illinois can collect more gasoline and sales taxes by not raising taxes, or chase even more shoppers to neighboring states and with it, cause retailers to close Illinois stores with the resultant loss of property taxes and jobs. ..... To make Illinois competitive, vote NO on raising Rock Island County sales taxes April 7."