My (very) liberal sister was visiting from Chicago (she’s the only enlightened urbanite among us) and I asked her what the parking sticker was for (you know, the kind that college campuses use). For a fee, you could buy a sticker from the city that allowed you to park your car on the street. “Why?” I asked.
sister: “Because the city paid to pave the street and you are using it.”
me: “But aren’t gasoline taxes used for that?”
sister: “Well, yeah, but they have to remove snow, too.”
me: “So you don’t have any problem with paying the city for the privilege of parking on streets that you already paid for paving and clearing of snow?”
sister: “No.”
me: “Okay.”
Expect city income taxes to go up shortly, too. Between Fed, State, and local taxes all taxing the “rich,” small business is going to get killed. The ultimate irony is that both my (very) liberal sister and her husband work for small businesses and their jobs are in the crosshairs. Of course it will be Bush’s fault.
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Actually that's not a 'parking sticker'. That's a City of Chicago 'vehicle registration license' (Tax). Its like a state license plate(s). And its been required in Chi, 'forever'. You own a car, you get a City Sticker, or get ticketed when a Cop runs your plate and see you live in Chi.
And its not only Chi that requires one. Most towns and villages in IL require them (vehicle registration tax). My *little* Village used to also - $12.00 per car. BUT, we are/became fiscally sound and haven't needed one in well over a decade as the village no longer needs the money (We can still get a Commemorative Village Sticker for $1.00 if we like, but don't - nobody does that I know of).