Illinois voters reject sales tax hikes
(The Center Square) – Illinois voters have rejected sales tax referendums in four Illinois counties. The margins were similar in Adams, Crawford, Lake and Tazewell counties, with between 54% and 57% of voters saying no to a 1% sales tax for school facilities. Americans for Prosperity Illinois Deputy State Director Brian Costin said the election on Tuesday was about affordability, and there is tax fatigue in Illinois. “This was an election about Trump, and it shouldn't be an invitation for Democrats to go back down to Springfield or locally to just decide that they're going to try to grab more money, pass more referendums, because in all likelihood, the voters will reject that,” Costin told The Center Square. Costin noted that Gov. J.B. Pritzker defeated Republican Darren Bailey by 36 points in Lake County, but the sales tax referendum lost 57% to 43%. “I think it's a warning for Lake County and some of these other counties as well that these referendums are not something that's palatable or shouldn't be taken for granted, that the people are just going to automatically side with tax hikes,” Costin said. With the average sales tax hovering around 9% in Illinois, Costin said both