Jacksonville council gives first reading to municipal grocery retailer and grocery service occupational taxes

The Jacksonville City Council on May 20 advanced a proposed ordinance implementing a municipal grocery retailers occupation tax and a municipal grocery service occupational tax for the city of Jacksonville, Morgan County, during a first reading at its regular meeting.

The measure was introduced during the Finance, IT and Personnel committee report by Alderman Cook, who moved the ordinance forward. The ordinance passed the first reading on a roll call vote with one abstention by Alderman Heap and yes votes from the remaining members present.

The first reading does not adopt the tax; it clears the ordinance to return for further consideration (second reading) under the council's legislative process. The council did not discuss specific rate levels, effective dates, exemptions, or administrative procedures on the record during the first-reading exchange, and those details were not specified in the meeting transcript.

Alderman Cook presented the item during committee reports; Alderman Lockman seconded the motion to advance the ordinance. The clerk conducted a roll-call vote during which Heap recorded an abstention and other members voted yes. The council chair stated, “Motion carries.”

Because this was a first reading, the council took no adoption vote and no changes to city code were made at the meeting. Any future meeting that includes a second reading or final adoption would include additional notice and a roll-call vote.

The council returned to other agenda items after the first reading; no further public testimony on the grocery tax appeared in the transcript.