Palos Park council authorizes creation of ordinances to raise local sales tax and end vehicle-sticker program

The Palos Park Village Council on Monday, April 14, 2025, voted to authorize creation of two ordinances: one to increase the village's non-home-rule local sales tax by 0.5 percentage point and a second to repeal the village's vehicle licensing (vehicle sticker) requirement.

The council's action directs staff to prepare ordinances consistent with Public Act 103-0781 and the Illinois Municipal Code provision cited by the council (65 ILCS 5/8-11). Under the timetable noted in the discussion, ordinances submitted to the Illinois Department of Revenue between April 1 and Oct. 1 would be scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.

Why it matters: the village currently levies a 0.5 percentage point local sales tax that the council said generates roughly $350,000 a year. Council materials presented at the meeting estimated the additional half-point would yield about $116,667 for the four months remaining in the 2026 fiscal year if enacted on the Jan. 1 effective date. Council members and staff also discussed revenue from the village's vehicle-sticker program, which the materials estimated at about $75,375 for 2025 and showed a multiyear decline in sticker revenue.

Details of the council action and related votes:

- Motion authorized: create ordinance to increase the non-home-rule local sales tax by 0.5 percentage point and create ordinance to repeal Chapter 4-62 (licensing of motor vehicles). The council approved the motion on a roll-call vote; roll-call responses recorded in the minutes for that vote included "Yes" from Commissioner Paul, Commissioner Waite,…