Oak Lawn Trustees Poised To Vote On Business License Fee Amnesty

OAK LAWN, IL — A proposed ordinance that would forgo collecting business license renewal fees from currently operating in the village is expected to go before the Oak Lawn Village Board for a vote during a special meeting set for Thursday.

Trustee Ralph Soch (6th District) and Paul Mallo (3rd District) came up with the idea after reading an Illinois Policy Institute report that showed how Illinois’ business tax-policy is faring against our neighboring states.

The Business License Fee Amnesty program would waive fees for Oak Lawn businesses looking to renew their business licenses during FY 2022. Also up for future discussion is simplifying the application process for new businesses seeking to open in Oak Lawn.

“Illinois is losing the battle of business-friendliness, as evidenced by the announcement this week that Caterpillar is leaving Illinois for Texas,” Soch said in a news release. “We dropped 10 spots, from 26 to 36, while our neighboring states all improved or maintained their rank.”

Both trustees feel the village can handle the projected $600,000 hit to their 2022 budget because of strong retail and gaming tax revenues.

“Trustee Soch and I both work in industries that are getting hammered by inflationary pressures, labor shortages, and ongoing supply-chain issues,” said Mallo, who manages a manufacturing plant in Chicago. “The Illinois Policy report is exactly right, we must prioritize taking care of our businesses and find ways to cut the punitive tax burdens on them.”

The pair have placed their amnesty proposal on the agenda for the special meeting set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23 in the lower-level conference room at Oak Lawn Village Hall, 9447 S. Raymond Ave.

Illinois Policy Report: Illinois Drops In Tax Foundation’s Business Tax Climate Rankings