THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2008
Rosemont To Pay $4.2 Million In Amusement Tax Battle
The Village of Rosemont and the Cook County Board are close to settling a decade-long dispute over the collection of huge amounts of Amusement Tax revenue.
County Board members will meet Wednesday (April 9) to consider approving terms of a proposed settlement agreement that will pay the county $4.2 million on or before May 9 in exchange for the county's dismissal of the Amusement Tax lawsuit. In addition, Rosemont will also provide certain maintenance and police patrol services to the Cook County Forest Preserve Dist. for a 10-year period beginning June 1.
According to Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens, mainte nance and police patrolling could cost the village as much as $800,000 a year bringing the total dollars the village would have to spend to more than $12 million. Rosemont is expected to consider the settlement and likely approve it at its early May village board meeting.
Rosemont has been challenging Cook County's Amusement Tax since it was imposed in 1997. The village has asserted it could not be forced to do the work of the county in collecting a county tax.
However, in 2005 a Cook County Circuit Court judge found Rosemont to be liable the tax on all tickets sold dating back to Feb. 1, 1997. The tax along with potential penalties could have forced Rosemont to pay tens of millions of dollars to Cook County. Tickets sold for performances at the Allstate Arena and Rosemont Theater were subject to the tax.
Stephens said terms of the settlement were negotiated be fore major problems surfaced over the Cook County budget. Maintenance work Rosemont will provide include mowing grass along with police patrols in local Cook County Forest Preserves.
"It's good to finally get this resolved and over with," said Stephens. "I don't think this will put a strain on Rosemont's finances."