Above: Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce President Nicki Anderson addresses City Council at a special meeting on August 11.
The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors representing over 1,300 members of the business community overwhelmingly voted against the Local Sales Tax ordinance. They did not oppose the garbage fee which brings it in alignment with the actual cost of service. Further, the business community will no longer be responsible for subsidizing the cost.
“We are a pro-business organization and our job is to make sure that we’re doing all we can to help our businesses thrive. Implementing a new local sales tax will not grow our local economy rather it would take us from a competitive advantage to a competitive disadvantage,” said Nicki Anderson, president, Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber is resolute in their opposition to a new sales tax given that they believe this proposal has not been fully vetted by the business, financial and governmental communities of Naperville.
“Naperville businesses are once again starting to slowly grow after experiencing one of the worst economic downturns in our nation’s history. The last thing we need is to implement a local sales tax that will slow growth, drive business out of the city and force businesses to raise prices where it hurts the most: in Naperville families’ wallets,” said Rosemarie Breske Garvey, Chairman, Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors believes that a proposal of this magnitude should be given far better exploration including the deep dive on expense reduction line items, one time asset sales, service evaluations (including the ongoing analysis of the electrical utility) and a competitive advantage marketing program.
“To progress in this manner without full evaluation is to be without thoughtful consideration for all stakeholders,” said Breske Garvey.
Submitted by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce
Naperville City Council Meeting / 7PM Tues., Aug. 18
Editor’s Note / This news post addresses one of the agenda items listed under Reports and Recommendations (L-3), “Formally approve the Financial Principles and direct staff to prepare the necessary revenue ordinances,” that will be discussed at the Naperville City Council Meeting beginning at 7PM today, Aug. 18.
In light of summer vacations, distractions and busy calendars, our aim is to do as much as possible to engage the community in thoughtful discussion about the pros and cons of creating a Home Rule Sales Tax that proposes to protect the AAA bond rating while maintaining fiscal responsibility for our city and its future.
Too many times residents tell us they didn’t know in time to attend or watch public meetings. We plan to do a better job with advance reminders. Also the City’s public meetings (Click here) and agendas are saved in archives and available for replay on demand. Thanks for paying attention.
RESULTS OF PN’S FLASH POLL POSTED at 4:15PM Aug. 18 (now closed) / Click Here
TAKE PN’S UPDATED FLASH POLL POSTED at 9:45AM Aug. 19 / Click Here
Editor’s Update Aug. 19 / Slightly slowing down during last night’s regular Naperville City Council meeting, council members continued their approach to raise awareness about three financial principles and two potential revenue producing sources to be approved by mid-September in an effort to solve a budget deficit and future shortfalls in reserves.
- Principle No. 1: The City will pass a structurally balanced operating budget annually. (Received unanimous support.)
- Principle No. 2: The City commits to continuous improvement in the delivery of necessary and cost-effective services. (Received unanimous support.)
- Principle No. 3: The City will actively seek to increase its reserves to 25 percent and reduce its debt by 25 percent in the next eight years. (Received a 5-4 vote.)
By the end of the thoughful lengthy discussion (Scroll down the video link to L-3 that reads “Formally approve the Financial Principles and direct staff to prepare the necessary revenue ordinances.”), one option on the plate is to increase city-wide garbage and recycling pick-up to $12.35, a fee that will fund $5 million.
The much-debated second option of the Home Rule Sales Tax, proposed somewhere between .25 and 1 percent, could generate anywhere from $5 million to $20 million annually. Currently the sales tax in Naperville is 7.25 percent.
Next City Council Meeting / 7PM Tues., Sept. 1
And residents thought only local youngsters needed to get an education this week as students head back to school! Thanks for paying attention and asking questions regarding fiscal responsibility.
RELATED STORIES ON THIS WEBSITE / Search “Home Rule Sales Tax.”
Daily Herald Story by reporter Marie Wilson, Aug. 19, 2015 / Click Here
