Burr Ridge Officials Differ Over Sales Tax

BURR RIDGE, IL – Most area towns have decided to continue grocery taxes after the state ends its version.

But Burr Ridge is a holdout. Trustees differ on the issue.

The issue came up during a discussion over whether to give the village's only grocery store, Brookhaven Market, a subsidy of up to $600,000 for work that is mostly completed.

The money is to come from a 1 percent sales tax in the local business district, which consists of County Line Square, Village Center and the Marriott.

The tax, however, largely doesn't apply to Brookhaven, which is in County Line Square.

Meanwhile, the statewide 1 percent grocery sales tax that benefits town governments ends on New Year's Eve. Municipalities, though, can vote to continue the tax locally.

Trustee Tony Schiappa said he opposed keeping it. Residents have enough taxes, including those for income, sales and real property.

Trustee Al Paveza agreed.

"It is one of the highest taxed states in the country," he said. "I am not in favor of putting on a 1 percent grocery tax. As a village, we are not desperate."

But Trustee Russell Smith said he was "clearly on the other side of this." He noted Burr Ridge lost income from Nanophase, which rented space at the village's public works complex. And now the village is poised to lose the $200,000 a year from the grocery tax.

"Our police pension keeps increasing year after year. That money has to come from somewhere," he said. "Our consumers are used to (the tax)."

The village's contribution to the police pension account is jumping to $1.3 million next year. That's up from about $900,000 in 2019. That's a 45 percent increase.

Earlier this month, the village's Economic Development Committee voted to cover $300,000 of the project's $1.3 million costs.

If the village approved the 1 percent tax for groceries, the panel recommended giving another $300,000, for a total of $600,000.

The Village Board unanimously approved that recommendation, with trustees saying it doesn't tie Burr Ridge's hands on the grocery tax.

Trustee Guy Franzese, who was presiding over the meeting in Mayor Gary Grasso's absence, said the board should take up the tax at a later meeting.