By Jeff Vorva
Palos Park officials want to keep their grocery tax.
Recently, Gov. JB Pritzker said he was planning on getting rid of the state’s 1% grocery tax.
The axing of tax, which goes to municipalities, would allow shoppers to save a small amount of money – a dollar for every $100 spent.
But it could hurt communities relying on that money.
According to WTTW.com, Chicago would lose $80 million, Joliet $3 million and Orland Park $2.5 million.
While Palos Park would lose considerably less than that, the village board voted March 11 to adopt a resolution urging Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to protect the tax.
The village stands to lose $211,000, but there are unfunded state mandates and rising pension costs that will cost the village and losing that kind of money is not appealing to officials. According to the resolution, eliminating the tax would create “undue hardship” on the village.
“It’s a tax that is dedicated solely to municipalities – the state doesn’t get a portion of this,” Palos Park Village Manager Rick Boehm said. “These are things we have to watch out for. There are state mandates. This is the year we have to purchase body cameras and other things we have to do.”
Giving the Center a break
The Center is expanding and has plans to erect a new building behind the main lodge.
There is a special use fee of $300 plus $100 per acre for sites over one acre, which would set the Center back more than $8,000.
The council voted to allow the non-profit center to pay $300 because the new building will be on just one acre.
“They do enough good in the community,” Commissioner Dan Polk said. “They are great people.”
Other business
- The council voted to hire St. Charles-based Big Tent Events for $19,860 to provide tents, tables flooring, chairs, lighting and other items for the Autumn in the Park Festival.
- The council recognized Gladys Ealine Peterson Guess, who turned 100 in February.
- Both Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters and Mayor Pro Tem G. Darryl Reed were absent, so Polk was voted to lead the meeting.
