Taxes

A proposed Beck’s Oil gas station, car wash and convenience store planned for the corner of Park and Broadway will be the focus of Wednesday night's Streator City Council’s regular meeting

The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees approved a $318 million budget for the current fiscal year, with one trustee abstaining and another voting against it out of financial concerns.

Woodstock is having a public hearing July 15 on whether the city should increase its sales tax.

Seeking to reverse a trend dating back nearly 20 years, Kankakee County officials continue to push for new housing developments.

As anticipated, the Kankakee City Council OK'd the 1% grocery tax, which has been in place for many years through the state.

Megan Millen, Joliet Public Library executive director, said the renovation of the 20-year-old Black Road branch was part of the library’s strategic planning process, as was the renovation of the Ottawa Street branch.

Manteno Village Board OKs paying for garbage fees and will rebate local property taxes.

The Geneva City Council is poised to approve a local 1% grocery tax at Monday’s meeting, documents show, a move that city officials have said would likely impact more out-of-town shoppers than locals. The meeting is at 7 p.m. tonight.

At nearly 900 pages, the legislation is a sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts, and other Republican priorities, including new money for national defense and deportations

On a day typically reserved for celebration, dozens of protesters gathered in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse Friday to oppose President Donald Trump, decrying what they see as government overreach on the nation’s birthday.

Republican leaders in the House are sprinting toward a Wednesday vote on President Donald Trump’s tax and spending cuts package

Illinois motorists will pay an average of about $6 more in gasoline taxes over the coming year as the state’s motor fuel tax rate hike goes into effect Tuesday

Yorkville is saying goodbye to the underground aquifer that served the community for generations. Yorkville City Council has approved around 20% annual average water bill increases over the next five years.

At the public hearing for the 502-acre Project Steel data center development’s annexation, Mayor John Purcell wanted to make sure a portion of the revenue is guaranteed to the Yorkville School District 115.

It just became more expensive to build residential developments in Yorkville. To help the Yorkville School District 115 cover rising student-care costs, the city council approved a 40% increase in residential transition fees.

When the state grocery tax lifts on Illinoisans in January, DeKalb purchases will continue to be taxed locally, the DeKalb City Council voted this week. Officials argued the tax is needed to maintain public services.

St. Charles finance director Bill Hannah said St. Charles residents pay less in grocery taxes than out-of-town shoppers, citing data the city collected through artificial intelligence on foot traffic.

Kaneland School District 302 has sued Sugar Grove, asking a judge to dissolve The Grove tax increment financing district redevelopment project, Kane County court records show.

Since the phrase “bursting at the seams” was first used by Yorkville School District 115 officials to describe their classroom capacity crisis, big changes have been anticipated. Four possible facility upgrades are being considered, two raise taxes. A referendum is likely.

If Woodstock raises its sales tax, will it be the highest in McHenry County? Take a look at what shoppers pay in taxes for general merchandise in each county community.

After the White House put Yorkville’s special census on hold, the population counting survey is finally back on, potentially generating more than $1 million extra annually for the city.

Sandwich has decided to implement its own grocery tax in light of the state’s 1% grocery tax expiring on Jan. 1.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed Illinois’ fiscal 2026 budget into law Monday, taking shots at President Donald Trump’s budget management to defend hard choices state lawmakers were forced to make this year

Potential cuts to county jobs and programs, in addition to delays in capital projects, loom over the McHenry County Board as it begins preparations for next year’s budget and property tax levy.

DeKalb elected officials this week voiced early support for a potential local grocery tax. Some blamed Gov. JB Pritzker for what they said was forcing their hand on a tax they argued brings needed revenue for city services. “It really does irritate me," Mayor Cohen Barnes said.

A proposed sales tax increase in Woodstock would bring the city’s overall rate to 8.5%, which would tie Crystal Lake for the highest in McHenry County.

Consultant hired to review effectives of city's six tax-increment financing zones aimed at promoting development.

DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas is recommending the city enact a local 1% grocery tax, arguing not doing so would slash needed funds for city departments responsible for keeping the public safe.

The team behind the recreational cannabis dispensary hopes for a soft opening as soon as mid-June.

The developer of Water's Edge in Crystal Lake received a $14 million incentive package from the city, and will also now get revenue from a new 1% sales tax that will imposed on shoppers there.

Only six months into the job, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces a massive challenge as he tries to quickly push President Donald Trump’s sprawling tax and spending cuts package to passage with the support of a divided GOP conference

President Donald Trump’s big bill making its way through Congress will cut taxes by $3.75 trillion but also increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next decade, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office

Trump switched to tougher tactics Tuesday, deriding the holdout Republican senators

The tax and spending cuts that passed the House last month would add more than $5 trillion to the national debt in the coming decade if all of them are allowed to continue

A La Salle business owner avoided prison Friday despite failing to pay state sales taxes for more than two years.

Spending plan raises over $1B in revenue; income, sales taxes not affected

Illinois Democrats introduced what a leading budgeteer described as a $55 billion budget Friday evening ahead of a Saturday deadline to pass the fiscal year 2026 spending plan

Gov. JB Pritzker said he would specifically veto any budget that includes tax increases on individuals, corporations or the sales tax

Anyone not receiving a bill can pay or print their bill from www.leecountyil.com.

In an effort to combat any misinterpretations for county employees on submitting expense reports, Kankakee County Auditor Colton Ekhoff updated the policy manual for travel/expense reimbursement.

DeKalb County Democrats and Republicans unanimously agreed this week not to enact a 1% grocery tax on unincorporated areas, though some municipalities still are considering it. "There’s something really evil about taxing food,” Democrat Scott Campbell said.

Figures provided by city officials show Sycamore brings in close to the amount in grocery tax revenue as neighboring DeKalb, a city twice its size. Third Ward Alderperson Nancy Copple said she thinks more people in Sycamore can afford groceries compared people in DeKalb.

Though Illinois’ statewide grocery tax is going away come January, Sycamore city residents could still be expected to pay one. The Sycamore City Council will consider a local 1% grocery tax at its Monday meeting.

This year the department brought-in three additional full-time firefighters, bringing the department’s total to 35-full time firefighters. Another 12-14 part-time staffers round out the team.

The DeKalb County Board on Wednesday will get a chance to comment on a proposal that could add a countywide 1% grocery tax, though not everyone appears for it. A Board committee unanimously opposed the tax last week. A full County Board vote still could happen, however.

McHenry County property owners should be getting their latest property tax bills in the mail by the end of the week, though some have already expressed sticker shock about the bills that have arrived.

House Republicans proposed sweeping tax breaks Monday in President Donald Trump’s big priority bill, tallying at least $4.9 trillion in costs so far, partly paid for with cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs used by millions of Americans

The Grundy Economic Development Commission hosted its annual Legislative Breakfast Monday morning, where local legislators were able to answer questions from the business community.

Several mayors from McHenry County spoke to a real estate group, highlighting housing issues and what the end of the state's grocery tax could mean if towns don't enact their own.

DeKalb city leaders could soon discuss whether to implement a local grocery tax as the state’s 1% grocery tax expires in 2026. “We’re not talking about a tax increase. The only thing we’re talking about is keeping the existing tax in place," Mayor Cohen Barnes said.