$80,054 In Your Tax Dollars Will Help 5 Downtown Joliet Businesses

JOLIET — As many Joliet residents have learned since May, it's practically impossible to visit some parts of downtown Joliet with all the underground street repairs and construction taking place. In December, the Joliet City Council agreed that as part of their property tax increase upon the citizens of Joliet, some of that money would be set aside for handouts to the downtown Joliet businesses being negatively impacted by the Austin Tyler construction project that has caused the shutdown of North Chicago Street where several of these businesses are located.

At Wednesday's meeting of Joliet's land use and economic development committee, economic development director Paulina Martinez will recommend approving $13,108 to the Internode Greenery & Home store owned and operated by Michelle Arana, to help with her loss of business from May 2024 to December 2024.

According to her memo, Martinez noted that on December 17, 2024, Joliet's City Council approved the Chicago Street Business Continuity Grant, which provides financial assistance to businesses impacted by the construction projects since May 2024. The applicants are eligible for assistance of up to 50 percent of their lost revenue, with a cap of $100,000 per year.

In addition to the $13,108 being recommended for Internode, the following city of Joliet taxpayer-funded grants have been approved by Joliet's City Hall:

Chicago Street Pub

$11,156.05

May 2024 to October 2024

Cut 158 Inc.

$25,000

May 2024 to October 2024

Mousa Greek Tavern

$5,790.01

May 2024 to October 2024

Juliet’s Tavern

$25,000

May 2024 to October 2024

TOTAL: $66,946.06

If the Internode application is approved, the new total amount granted would be $80,053.56, Martinez explained in her memo. "Economic Development staff recommends that the Land Use & Economic Development Committee recommends the Internode grant application for City Manager approval," she wrote.