Geneva Voters OK Sales Tax Increase

GENEVA, IL – Geneva voters approved a sales tax increase during Tuesday's primary. According to unofficial results posted late Tuesday night, 3,015 voters, or 59.06 percent who cast their ballot, voted "yes" to this question:

Shall the corporate authorities of the City of Geneva, Kane County, Illinois, be authorized to levy a Non-Home Rule Municipal Retailers Occupation Tax and a Non-Home Rule Municipal Service Occupation Tax, each at a rate of one percent (1%), pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/8-11-1.1 et seq. for expenditures on municipal operations, expenditures on public infrastructure or property tax relief?

The remaining 1,917 voters, or 37.55 percent, voted "no," according to the unofficial results.

The sales tax increase of 0.5 percent will go into effect on July 1. The increase will mean when you spend $50 at a Geneva business, instead of just 25 cents going toward the non-home rules sales tax, 50 cents will now be added. That additional revenue will go toward providing city services. The city's overall tax rate will not go up to 8 percent, which is the same as Batavia's and St. Charles' sales tax.

“The cost of providing city services - such as its core services of police, fire, public works - continue to rise even though once dependable revenue streams have either fallen flat or have decline,” according to information regarding the referendum on the city’s website. “New initiatives and investment in Geneva's roads, sidewalks, vehicles and underground infrastructure has been deferred.”

If the referendum question failed, a 2 percent Places for Eating Tax would have been enacted starting on May 1, according to a Kane County Chronicle article.

City officials said a sales tax increase is necessary.

“Even with a conservative approach to spending, new funding is needed to sustain and resume critical projects that keep Geneva as a premier community,” according to information posted on the city’s website.

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