Who did that
Rahm Emanuel
Mayor of Chicago (2011–2019)
Photo: U.S. House of Representatives · PD-USGov-Congress · Wikimedia Commons
“We cannot cut our way out of this crisis.”
Rates last moved while in office
Rate changes dated while they held the office that keeps that tax — mayor for city, governor for Illinois, president for federal, Cook Board president for county. Dated while in office is not authorship: a governor who vetoed a hike that the legislature overrode still shows that date under their term. A bigger standard deduction is a tax cut. Renewed means a cut was made permanent.
Cut or renewed
| When | Tax | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2016 | Chicago personal property lease tax | 9% to 5.25%Lower 5.25% rate for nonpossessory computer leases instead of the full 9%.Lower 5.25% rate for nonpossessory computer leases (cloud, SaaS, PaaS, IaaS) instead of the full 9% (FY2016 revenue ordinance; Department of Finance bulletin, Nov 2015). Source |
| 1 Jul 2013 | Chicago parking tax | $5 a stay to 20% (hourly/daily), $90 a stay to 20% (monthly)Flat fees replaced by a percentage: 20% of the weekday daily, weekly and monthly charge, 18% on weekends.Flat fees replaced by a percentage: 20% of the weekday daily, weekly and monthly charge, 18% on weekends (City Council, 10 Apr 2013). For this ledger's $20 day and $250 month that is a cut from $5 and $90. Source |
Raised or added
| When | Tax | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2019 | Chicago water-sewer tax | $1.28 to $2.01 per 1,000 gallonsThird phase-in year written into the 2016 ordinance: $1.28 → $2.01 per 1,000 gal.Source |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Chicago home-sharing surcharge | set at 6% |
| 1 Jan 2018 | Chicago 911 surcharge | $3.90 to $5 a month per lineStill $5 per network connection in 2026. |
| 1 Jan 2018 | Chicago water-sewer tax | 59¢ to $1.28 per 1,000 gallonsSecond phase-in year written into the 2016 ordinance: $0.59 → $1.28 per 1,000 gal.Source |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Chicago water-sewer tax | set at 59¢ per 1,000 gallonsNew Chicago water-sewer tax.New Chicago water-sewer tax (City Council ordinance of 14 Sep 2016, Mayor Emanuel's water-sewer pension fund plan). First phase-in year: $0.59 per 1,000 gal, on bills from March 2017. Source |
| 1 Feb 2017 | Chicago checkout bag tax | set at 7¢ a bagCheckout bag tax starts at 7¢ a bag (store keeps 2¢, city gets 5¢). |
| 1 Jan 2016 | City garbage fee | set at $4.75 or $9.50 a month per homeNew City garbage fee, passed with the FY2016 budget: $9.50 a month per home in…New City garbage fee, passed with the FY2016 budget (City Council, 28 Oct 2015, Mayor Emanuel): $9.50 a month per home in buildings of 1 to 4 units, billed with water; $4.75 for seniors. Unchanged since. Source |
| 28 Oct 2015 | Chicago airport / Navy Pier / McCormick rideshare surcharge | set at $5 a trip$5 per trip. Those sites are outside the $1.50 congestion surcharge. |
| 28 Oct 2015 | Chicago rideshare tax | set at 72¢ a trip |
| 1 Sep 2015 | Chicago amusement tax on streaming | set at 9%Amusement Tax Ruling #5: electronically delivered movies, music, and games billed in Chicago. |
| 1 Jan 2015 | Chicago parking tax | 20% to 22%Chicago parking tax 20% → 22% for weekday daily, weekly and monthly parking; weekends 18% → 20%.Chicago parking tax 20% → 22% for weekday daily, weekly and monthly parking; weekends 18% → 20% (FY2015 budget). Source |
| 1 Jan 2015 | Chicago personal property lease tax | 8% to 9%Chicago personal property lease tax 8% → 9%.Chicago personal property lease tax 8% → 9% (FY2015 revenue ordinance, Mayor Emanuel). The tax has applied to remote use of computers since at least 1985. Source |
| 1 Sep 2014 | Chicago 911 surcharge | $2.50 to $3.90 a month per lineChicago 911 surcharge $2.50 → $3.90 a month per landline or wireless line.Chicago 911 surcharge $2.50 → $3.90 a month per landline or wireless line (ordinance of June 2014 under the State's reauthorization; Mayor Emanuel). Prepaid wireless went to 9% on 1 Oct 2014. Source |
| 10 Jan 2014 | Chicago cigarette tax | 68¢ to $1.18 a packChicago cigarette tax $0.68 → $1.18 a pack, passed by the City Council with the FY2014 budget.Chicago cigarette tax $0.68 → $1.18 a pack (3.4¢ → 5.9¢ a cigarette), passed by the City Council with the FY2014 budget (Mayor Emanuel). Source |
| 1 Jan 2012 | Chicago hotel accommodations tax | 3.5% to 4.5%Chicago hotel accommodations tax 3.5% → 4.5% (FY2012 revenue ordinance, Mayor Emanuel; City Annual Financial Analysis 2013).Source |
| 1 Jan 2012 | Chicago parking tax | $3 to $5 a stay (hourly/daily), $60 to $90 a stay (monthly)Chicago parking tax flat fees raised: a weekday day over $12 $3 → $5…Chicago parking tax flat fees raised: a weekday day over $12 $3 → $5 (weekends stay $3); a month of $240–$300 $60 → $90 (City Council, 2 Nov 2011). Source |
Rates still in force, last set while in office
These rates have not moved since they were set, so the ledger’s plate for each one names the officeholder on that date. Each line links to its official source.
| When | Tax | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2019 | Chicago liquid nicotine tax | set at $1.50 a unit plus $1.20 a milliliterChicago liquid nicotine tax $0.80 → $1.50 per product unit plus $0.55 → $1.20 per milliliter.Source |
| 1 Jan 2014 | Chicago employer head tax | repealed (was $4 an employee a month)Head tax halved in 2012 and fully repealed in 2014 (City Council ordinance of 2 Nov 2011).Source |