Vehicle Sticker Fees Double for Unincorporated Cook County

Residents in unincorporated Cook County will help fund the county’s new budget by paying higher vehicle sticker fees.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a $2.94 billion budget with a 16-1 vote last week, as reported in the Huffington Post. The sticker fees hike is expected to bring in an additional  $1.54 million. Sticker fees will double for cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers and other vehicles registered in the unincorporated area of Cook County. The stickers will go from $40 to $80 for sedans and $50 to $100 for most SUVs.

Funding for the new budget will come from a variety of other tax hikes—including more tax on alcohol and certain tobacco products—that all county residents will pay. A list of these hikes is in the Chicago Sun-Times.

All Cook County taxpayers will see a little relief starting next year when the county’s sales tax is reduced by one-quarter of a cent in 2012 and another one-quarter of a cent in 2013.

The budget also includes nearly 800 layoffs after Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle could not reach a deal with unions to take unpaid days off next year.