Up and out.
Sales tax is going up while vehicle stickers and dog tags will be eliminated in Palos Park.
The village council voted on April 14 to increase the non-home rule sales tax by 0.5% and repeal an ordinance licensing motor vehicles in the village.
Mayor Nicole Milovich Walters said there is already a 0.5% non-home rule sales tax and it brings in an estimated $350,000 per year.
This new tax rate will go into effect Jan. 1.
Milovich Walters hopes it can somewhat be offset to the residents by the elimination of vehicle stickers, which cost between $45-$60.
She said people with two cars would buy two vehicle stickers and the total cost would be in the $100 range.
“To put it in perspective, you have to spend $2,000 to have an impact of $100 in taxes,” she said. “If you think about it, you paid $100 for your vehicle stickers but if you spend $2,000 shopping, you pay that hundred dollars to the village. I think it’s a win for the village.”
Another bonus for the village is that the stickers were limited to residents while the sales tax will be collected from residents and non-residents alike.
The licensing program started in 1982 but has been decreasing in money collected in recent years, Milovich-Walters said.
“In 2024, the program, which also includes dog tag revenues, had a net positive impact of $88,143 and that was a decrease from 2023 when we made $96,573 and it further decreased from 2022 when we took in $104,376,” she said. “Based on revenues, the 2025 estimate with vehicle stickers and dog tags, is approximately at $75,375.
“Since the village has experienced such a decline in the number of vehicle licenses, it’s expected that this trend will continue.”
Other news
- A six-month water main relocation project at 123rd Street in the Mill Creek area will start in May. Joliet-based Airy’s Inc. was awarded a $589,132 bid for the work.
- The council voted to increase motor vehicle seizure and impoundment fees from $300 to $500.
- Commissioners also voted to end the Historic Preservation Commission, which hasn’t met since 2017.
- John Fryer was appointed to fill a Palos Park Public Library Board of Trustees vacancy through June 1, 2026 while Ream Qato will fill a vacancy from June 1 through June 1, 2029.