Streator council to vote on new grocery tax, Beck’s Oil TIF district

A proposed Beck’s Oil gas station, car wash and convenience store planned for the corner of Park and Broadway in Streator will be the focus during Streator City Council’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at City Hall.

To help move the project forward, the council will consider three ordinances to adjust the boundaries of an existing tax increment financing district and create a new one that would better support redevelopment at the site.

According to city documents, the current TIF district is set to expire in 2029 and is not expected to generate enough funding to make the project possible.

The new TIF district would include both the Beck’s property and the former Owens-Illinois bottle plant, along with a corridor connecting the two.

The council will vote on six ordinances total - three to update the old district and three to set up the new one.

Also on the agenda is a vote on the proposed grocery tax.

The city is looking to continue collecting a 1% local tax on grocery sales after the state grocery tax ends on Jan. 1, 2026. If approved, the local tax would apply to most grocery items but not to candy, soft drinks, alcohol, or prepared food.

[ Which northern Illinois towns have enacted a 1% grocery tax? Check our list ]

According to city documents, the city could collect $200,000 to $300,000 per year from the tax. A final decision must be submitted to the state by October to take effect in 2026.

The council is also expected to vote on a facade grant recommended by the Streator Plan Commission last week to support a future event space at 215 E. Main St in the downtown area.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at City Hall and is open to the public.