Restaurants in Homewood were given some relief by the village board Tuesday, as the town’s “places for eating” tax was suspended for March, April and May.
The board approved the measure 6-0 via conference call. Only Mayor Richard Hofeld, Village Manager Jim Marino, Finance Director Dennis Bubenik and Village Attorney Chris Cummings were physically in attendance. The four maintained a six-foot or more physical distance. Trustees and the village clerk joined the meeting via Zoom.
Governor J.B. Pritzker on March 16 shut down all but takeout service for restaurants, part of the mitigation plan for the COVID-19 virus.
“Small restaurants and bars without drive-through access are being hit hard,” Bubenik said in village documents.
Homewood instituted the 2 percent tax in 2014. Many towns have done so in recent years in an effort to replace declining sales tax revenues.
Village restaurants without a drive through window will still be required to collect the tax from customers and report it, but won’t have to pay the village. Qualifying businesses need to sign an agreement stating they’ll do so.
In other business, the agreement with the developer of the Triumph building at the intersection of Ridge Road and Martin Avenue was amended for a second time.
The original redevelopment agreement was made last May, providing 120 days for a due diligence period. That was extended in September. Another extension was approved Tuesday. A clause was added to the contract so that time would not count against that period as long as Pritzker’s COVID-19 disaster proclamation was in effect.
Homewood purchased the property in 2018 and sold it to HCF Homewood LLC last year.