What will Wilmette Tax Next?

Not content with driving more of its gas stations out of business, what will Wilmette tax next? (for our own good, of course.) Perhaps it will beat out New York and Chicago in banning trans fats, but no, that's not the Wilmette way---better to tax it. Fortunately Dunkin Donuts is across the border in Evanston, but Krispy Kremes may disappear from local stores.

Of course people may go elsewhere for their indulgences---then what will Wilmette do for revenue?

What will Wilmette tax next?

Last night at the village bored meeting, one trustee was disappointed she could not tax federal postal trucks, or the Coast Guard vehicles.


I have an idea--tax the "Village of Wilmette" itself--then maybe it will disappear.


Or maybe turn those train gates into toll gates--they're right next to village hall, after all. While we're burning up gas-plus-another-1 cent-a-gallon waiting at the lights the village might as well raise some more revenue. Perhaps some trustees will volunteer to collect the troll, umm toll.

FYI: Village board passed gas tax targeting Wilmette's remaining nine stations (down from over 30 at one time) Passed 50% increase in vehicle license fee.(with a break for "officially green" vehicles.) Postponed teardown tax for "affordable" housing--to be studied in Finance (we decide--you finance) committee.

Cut spending? Hello?

UPDATE: Trib story here, with some memorable quotes:

Village President Chris Canning, the lone dissenter, said he would favor a $10 sticker fee increase for everyone, "but this is harmful to our seniors, it is harmful to our families, it is harmful to people who drive fuel-efficient older cars."

The measure, which had not been subject to a public hearing, also drew objections from several residents.

"Rather than being a carrot, it's really a stick, because it's going to punish people who live in the village for cars they already own," Dan Fogel said.

Another resident, Herbert Sorock, called it "really inappropriate to try to raise money by conferring virtue."

"Putting a list of SmartWay owners on the village Web site would be fine," Sorock said. "But to be busybodies in our car selection is silly and a waste of village resources."

And from the previous day's story:

Another resident, Jerry Malloy, 49, objected to offering an incentive for a hybrid technology used mostly in Japanese cars. Besides, said Malloy, who drives an 11-year-old Volkswagen, the people who buy hybrids don't need any help.

"It's subsidizing a toy for the rich," he said. "The poor aren't going to pay $6,000 extra for a [hybrid Toyota] Prius just to save $300 in gas."