Lockport votes to keep local grocery tax after state repeal

The City of Lockport voted Wednesday to implement a local grocery tax, replacing a state-imposed tax set to expire at the end of the year.

The city council voted 6-1 to approve the 1% tax, with Alderman Steve Cardamone casting the only opposition vote. Alderman Jonathan Pugh was not in attendance.

The State of Illinois voted to rescind the 1% grocery tax earlier this year. However, because the revenue from the tax went to the municipalities from which it was collected, cities were given the option in the legislation to reinstate the tax locally.

According to city board documents, Lockport’s grocery taxes represent about $600,000 in annual revenue, which represents about 14% of the city’s sales tax revenue.

Before voting on the issue, Alderwoman Christina Bergbower reiterated that the tax would not change what Lockport shoppers are paying for their groceries.

“We are keeping the current tax; we are not adding anything,” Bergbower said. “All this means is that things are going to stay the same.”

In opposing his fellow aldermen, Cardamone expressed the opinion that the city should allow the tax to lapse and give residents a financial break.

“We have the opportunity to decrease taxes with this, I feel like we should decrease,” said Cardamone.

Cardamone previously expressed his opposition to the tax at the Aug. 6 Committee of the Whole meeting and was opposed by Mayor Steven Streit.

The sales tax on groceries should be continued, Streit said, because it is one of the few taxes the city can impose on nonresidents, an opinion he reiterated on Wednesday.

The mayor also stood by his suggestion that it would be more beneficial to Lockport residents for the city to explore a reduction in property tax rates.

“Springfield decided to get rid of this even though they didn’t collect any of the revenue, which was rather disingenuous in my opinion,” said Streit, adding that many other neighboring municipalities have voted to reinstate the tax.

Joliet made a similar decision to reinstate the same tax on Tuesday, after some debate and a split vote that ended in Mayor Terry D’Arcy casting a tie-breaking vote in favor of the measure.

Over 200 Illinois municipalities have voted to continue the tax in recent months, including Minooka, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Woodridge, Shorewood, Lemont, Crest Hill, Romeoville, Plainfield, Morris, Homer Glen and Wilmington, despite the urging of some residents and local lawmakers.

State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, issued a statement before Joliet’s vote asking city leaders to let the tax lapse to help low-income families, especially in light of recent planned cuts to SNAP.

“In May 2024, the General Assembly and the Governor eliminated the statewide grocery tax because we recognized that rising food costs were squeezing families across our state. Reinstating this tax locally moves us in the wrong direction,” Ventura said. “For many, benefits already fall short of covering a month’s groceries; adding a local grocery tax on top of that would push families into even greater hardship.”

All cities must decide on the issue and file paperwork by Sept. 30 if they plan to continue the tax locally.