Will County Gazette

Republican state House candidate Alyssia Benford fails to see the wisdom in Will County school districts adopting a sales tax referendum that would put the same level of burden on residents that taxpayers face in Chicago.

Chicago has the highest combined sales tax rate of any major city in the country, according to an article by the Illinois Policy Institute.

“[M]andates imposed by Springfield and the Illinois constitution too often put local school districts in a bind,” Benford, running against incumbent Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) in the 98th House District, posted on Facebook.

Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet)

When they go to the polls in November, Will County voters could be greeted by a referendum that will determine if a new 1 percent sales tax for county school districts is in their future. Several school districts have already signed onto the measure, which would fall under a relatively new category of sales tax called a County School Facility Occupation Tax (CSFT).

State lawmakers enacted a law in 2007 authorizing elected school boards to introduce a CSFT via referendum, with the tax slapped on retail items and gasoline, and the revenues used for things like facilities maintenance, upgrades and debt repayments.

For a CSFT to officially appear on an election ballot, school districts representing at least half of a county’s student population must pass resolutions approving the measure.

In a separate post, Benford took time to applaud retiring Will County Clerk Nancy Voots for embracing a fellow GOP candidate as her successor. 

“Laurie McPhillips, candidate for Will County Clerk, has the experience and ability to serve as our next Will County Clerk,” Benford posted.

The 98th House District includes all or parts of Bolingbrook, Crest Hill and Joliet.