Commissioner Joan Murphy tells Orland audience her tax policies not driving business out of town

Leave it to Cook County Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy who appeared on a  panel hosted by the Orland Park Chamber of Commerce to show how much she closes her eyes to reality, declaring that her tax increase proposals have not driven businesses out of town.

Of course Murphy would argue that going in to a re-election campaign against challenger Nick Valadez that she is Miss I-Love-The-Taxpayers, when she doesn't. Murphy introduced the largest tax proposal ever to come to the Cook County board, and tried hard to increase the sales tax in Cook County by 2 percent, double what County Board President Todd Stroger proposed -- the Oppressive 1 percent Stroger Sales Tax.

Businesses are fleeing from Cook County, especially from the Cook County region and I am surprised that some of the panelists and members of the Orland Park Chamber of Commerce didn't challenge Murphy or put pressure on her since they are the ones being hurt the most.

Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman also participated and detailed her own, different, strategy from Murphy. Gorman has been the leading voice in fighting and repealing the Stroger 1 percent sales tax and although the effort did not succeed -- thanks to the flip-flop vote of Deborah Sims, the fact is that thanks to Gorman, the sales tax is now a front-and-center issue going in to the elections next year and taxpayers feel that they have someone on their side -- Gorman -- who at least will fight for their rights.

That's more than what Murphy and Sims have done. And they are upset that I am criticizing them, but the FACT IS that THEY voted to increase taxes and if they don't want to defend that or if they just want to make excuses, that is their problem. Not everyone knows how to represent the best interests of the community.

Also attending the event were State Reps. Renee Kosell and Kevin McCarthy, State Sen. Ed Maloney, and representatives for Congressmen Bobby Rush and Judy Biggert, and US Sen. Roland Burris.

Click here to read the Orland Prairie article on the Chamber's event?