Village Reviews Portillo's, Approves Economic Incentives

New Lenox beat out other towns to snatch Portillo's, and bringing in the popular restaurant meant some sales tax kickbacks to make the deal happen.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, trustees approved an economic incentive agreement that will give back 1/2 the sales tax revenue generated by Portillo's, Mayor Tim Baldermann said.

The agreement will last seven and a half years. Even after that incentive, the village conservatively estimates it will get an additional $100,000 in sales tax revenue from the addition of Portillo's.

This practice is not uncommon, the mayor said, pointing to other major sales tax drivers such as . 

"It depends on what they're going to bring to the village," Baldermann said. "A business that would bring in $10,000 probably wouldn't get this."

He also said the village had to compete with other towns Portillo's was considering and at least match the incentives they were offering.

"This is a business that could go into any community," Baldermann said. 

Meanwhile, trustees reviewed the Portillo's site plans and a request for special use, which is required because of some small deviations from village code. 

Resident Helen Martin, who lives immediately to the west of the planned Portillo's (just west of Chili's along Route 30) said she's upset with the development, especially regarding the screening of cars' lights. Her family sold the property that has since been developed into a commercial shopping center. 

Both the board and owner Dick Portillo addressed Martin's concerns. 

"New Lenox is a great community with great people living there and we are honored to become a part of your community," Portillo said. "My intention is to be a good neighbor."

The board could give final approval to the restaurant at its April 23 meeting, and Portillo said he could break ground "very soon" after that.