Piracy in Crystal Lake

Remember the Steve Goodman song about the Lincoln Park pirates.

Someone needs to write one about Crystal Lake Pirates--Captain Aaron Shepley and his band of merry men and woman.

They have decided to raise Crystal Lake's sales tax 75%.

July 1st, right before Independence Day.

While we are waiting for someone to come up with the words, this pirate ship illustration will have to do.

It was inspired by the new “Shop in Crystal Lake” campaign.

Probably much needed now that this massive tax hike has been enacted.

I read on Jim Butt's Northwest Herald blog that one out-of-town shopper will buy nothing costing more than $100 in Crystal Lake.

Sounds like a plan.

You can see the public relations campaign's logo top right.

Here's what the variation that creative Heck of a Guy blogger Allan Showalter came up with.

Which do you think is more appropriate for a town where the piraty fathers and mothers opening try to pick dollars out of our pockets?

“Yo, ho. Tax 'em away. The Crystal Lake Pirates are we.”

Will they be able to fill a chest with our gold?

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

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Crystal Lake To Lose Low Sales Tax Reputation

Last Sunday, the Chicago Tribune featured Crystal Lake's sales tax rate on its front page.

While it is currently 6.5%, on April 1st it jumps to 7%, compliments of Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly and Republican state senators in DuPage County.

If that were not high enough, now comes the Crystal Lake city council hell bent on killing Crystal Lake's sales tax shopping advantage by increasing its present 1 percentage point sales tax by a whopping 75%.

Let me repeat that.

Mayor Aaron Shepley with, apparently all but Councilman Jeff Thorsen on board, is set to raise Crystal Lake's sales tax to

7.75%.

Next Tuesday night.

They have given Crystal Lake voters only one week to provide them with feedback.

You can email them (see link below) or you call them or you can show up at the meeting in person.

If you do nothing, don't be surprised when your taxes go up in July.

Those of us who do not live in Crystal Lake, can provide feedback with our feet.

The Woodstock Super Walmart is closer to my Lakewood home than is the one on Route 14.

The traffic is a lot better if I take the back roads than it is on Route 14.

= = = = =
Images may be enlarged by clicking on them.

If you want to make your views known, emails may be sent to

• Ralph Dawson,
• Cathy Ferguson,
• Dave Goss,
• Brett Hopkins,
• Ellen Brady Mueller,
• Aaron Shepley, and
• Jeff Thorsen

at
comments@crystallake.org

If you don't want the city council to raise your city sales tax 75%, you might want to email each of them. Put their names in the subject line.

Published first on McHenry County Blog. And, yes, I know of no Democrats on the Crystal Lake City Council. Appropriate comments welcomed.

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