The Lake Bluff Village Board has decided, at least for now, not to impose any new taxes despite an estimated $250,000 annual revenue loss from the state’s discontinuation of the grocery tax.

On Sept. 29, trustees voted 3–2 against creating a local grocery tax or raising the existing home rule sales tax. The decision came as the State of Illinois prepares to eliminate its 1% grocery tax at the end of the year — a revenue stream that the state had collected and redistributed to municipalities. Lake Bluff had received about $250,000 annually from the tax, according to village officials.

Neighboring communities, including Lake Forest, Highland Park, and Deerfield, have approved local versions of the grocery tax to offset the loss, while Gurnee and Mundelein opted not to take similar action.

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