Lockport plans vote on going local with grocery tax

The City of Lockport is expected to vote on retaining a local grocery tax in place of the recently revoked 1% state grocery tax.

Lockport aldermen discussed the issue at the committee of the whole meeting on Aug. 6, but slated the item for more discussion before their final vote at the City Council meeting this Wednesday.

Lockport is the latest municipality to vote on this issue in recent months, since the State of Illinois announced it would be rescinding a 1% grocery tax in January. Revenues from the previous tax were sent to the municipalities.

The legislation removing the tax allows for municipalities to reinstate the tax locally, but they must decide to do so and file ordinances by Oct. 1.

So far Plainfield, Shorewood, Minooka, Morris, Kankakee, and Wilmington have all voted to reinstate the tax. Joliet, is also expected to vote on the tax this week.

Lockport Mayor Steven Streit said Romeoville and Lemont are also deliberating on the issue.

During the Committee of the Whole meeting, Alderman Steve Cardamone expressed that he “would be more in favor of giving it back to the community than retaining the tax,” however this was countered by Streit and other members of the city council.

Streit argued that the sales tax on groceries should be retained because it’s one of the few taxes the city can place on non-residents, as people from other municipalities come to Lockport to shop.

“If we’re going to do that, I’d rather see us pursue a property tax rate decrease and be more aggressive on that to give back to our residents,” Streit said.

As of June, 256 municipalities had voted to retain the tax on groceries for themselves.