The Homer Glen Village Board voted Wednesday to enact a municipal sales tax on groceries after the statewide grocery tax ends next year.
While the state plans to eliminate its grocery tax Jan. 1, it provided municipalities the authority to enact a replacement local sales tax.
Municipalities that want to implement a 1% grocery sales tax must pass an ordinance and submit it to the Illinois Department of Revenue by Oct. 1 in order for the tax to be imposed on Jan. 1, according to the Illinois Municipal League.
Homer Glen officials said this is not a new tax on residents who are buying groceries but rather a chance to ensure the village does not see a lapse in revenue.
Homer Glen receives about $875,585 annually from the state grocery tax, officials said.
“This is just a new method of collecting the same tax,” Trustee Mike LePore said. “It’s a large amount that is at stake here.”
Trustee Curt Mason said the revenue the village receives from the grocery tax goes toward village operations and infrastructure.
“If we don’t declare that we are in favor of this, then that revenue is lost,” Mason said. “It’s important for the town to continue to operate the way that we do.”
Homer Glen officials noted several communities have already enacted legislation to implement the 1% grocery sales tax, including Tinley Park, Minooka, Mokena, Shorewood and Woodridge, with other communities possibly passing ordinances in the coming months.
Before the vote, resident John Walters criticized the board for implementing the grocery tax.
“Get out your pencils. Get out your erasers. Get out your calculators and cut some costs. Cut the waste,” Walters said.
Trustee Robert Schaller said the village is heavily reliant on sales taxes to operate.
“I think we are running as lean and mean as we possibly can,” he said. “We can’t afford to forgo $875,000 in tax that’s already there.”
Treasurer John Sawyers said the tax is also paid for by nonresidents who shop in Homer Glen. Grocery costs will not go up due to the change, he said.
“It’s the lifeline of villages, in particular this one,” Sawyers said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
