Coronavirus: Darien Restaurant Subsidies OK'd

DARIEN, IL — Darien is providing $310,000 in subsidies to restaurants and bars that are impacted by the coronavirus crisis. The City Council approved the program this week, with a resident speaking out against it during public input.

Under the "sales tax rebate" program, the businesses, which are subject to the city's 1.25 percent food and beverage tax, are set receive the amount they paid from May to October 2019. To be eligible, businesses must reopen to their full service levels when the governor lifts his executive order. The program could potentially apply to 48 businesses, which a city official listed at the council's meeting.

During public input, resident Timothy Waz questioned the idea, saying many people were hurting financially during the pandemic, not just restaurants and bars. Waz also questioned why the city did not include the list of possible beneficiaries in its records available to the public. He said the city should say how much each business will get.

In response, officials said information on particular subsidies is proprietary. Releasing such data would reveal how much income each business made for six months last year.

"They're going to get what they paid in," Mayor Joseph Marchese said during the council meeting, with most officials connected through a video conference.

But Waz wasn't satisfied. "This is city tax revenue, sir. It's not their money," he said.

Ward 6 Alderman Eric Gustafson wondered what the city would do if a restaurant fully opened but closed a month later.

Marchese said the city couldn't specify how long they must stay open. He said many of the restaurants told him they would use the money to build up their inventories.

Ward 5 Alderwoman Mary Sullivan praised the program. "Keeping them in business is a good thing," she said.

In a news release about the program, the owners of two businesses, The Patio and Zazzos Pizza, said they appreciated the program.

"When Mayor Marchese had told us that he would giving us a check toward helping us get back on our feet, we were speechless," Zazzos co-owner Mike Barraco said. "We could not hold back tears of excitement, knowing that we can see a light at the end of the tunnel."

Last week, the Burr Ridge Village Board voted to make available $210,000 in motel tax money for grants to hotels, restaurants, bars and stores.

According to Burr Ridge, four hotels, nine restaurants and 11 other businesses are eligible. The onetime grants are $15,000 for hotels and $7,500 for restaurants and stores. The money, officials said, is to help with rent, payroll and other core expenses.

Read more:

Illinois Coronavirus Update April 23: 35,108 Cases; 1,565 Deaths

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