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Glenview trustees vote to continue 1% grocery tax amid debate over regressivity
Summary
Trustees approved an ordinance to continue a 1% municipal grocery tax effective Jan. 1, 2026 (estimated $2.7M annual revenue) by 4-2 roll-call vote after trustee objections and public comments calling the tax regressive and urging alternatives.
The Glenview Board of Trustees voted to continue a 1% municipal grocery tax, approving an ordinance to amend Chapter 70 of the Glenview Municipal Code that will take effect Jan. 1, 2026 if the village files with the Illinois Department of Revenue by Oct. 1.
Village staff told the board the tax historically raised an estimated $2,700,000 annually for the village and that the Illinois Department of Revenue will stop the state-level grocery tax on Jan. 1, 2026 but allows municipalities to continue the 1% local tax. Staff said the state will begin reporting grocery-tax receipts separately starting Jan. 1, 2026 so the village will have more precise data next year.
Trustees debated the policy. Trustee Bland said he would strongly oppose continuing the tax, calling it "a highly regressive tax" that disproportionately burdens residents on fixed incomes and lower-income households. "This is a highly regressive tax and simply said, it's a really bad tax," he said and proposed alternatives such as an alcohol tax or targeted business-district assessments.
Trustee Cooper and Trustee Deboni echoed concerns about regressivity and urged exploring alternatives; they nevertheless supported a one-year continuation to allow staff to obtain clearer data before making longer-term changes. Trustee Deboni moved to approve the ordinance; Trustee Sidoti seconded. The roll-call vote recorded: Jones yes; Sodoti yes; Bland no; Cooper no; Debony yes; Doran yes. The motion carried.
Two members of the public addressed the board. Mr. Seitz, representing Nitecore Gas, urged the board not to adopt the tax without better justification and noted Glenview's budget surplus. Sherry Latash, citing the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning community data, noted a Glenview median income figure and a significant share of residents earning under $100,000 and urged pursuing alternatives such as renegotiating tax rebates rather than imposing a regressive grocery tax.
Staff and trustees said the item would be revisited once the state's new reporting provides exact grocery-tax figures and during upcoming budget workshops.
The ordinance continues the local 1% grocery tax and is slated to be effective Jan. 1, 2026 if the village completes the required filing with the Illinois Department of Revenue by Oct. 1, 2025. The board did not adopt any exemptions or offsets at the meeting.
