Lawmaker plans to expand Rosemont cigarette tax
A plan to let Rosemont and three other Illinois cities apply their local cigarette taxes to cigars and other forms of tobacco won initial approval in the state Senate Wednesday.
The legislation from state Sen. Dan Kotowski, a Park Ridge Democrat, would apply to Rosemont, Chicago, Evanston and Cicero, the four towns in Illinois that have local taxes.
The Rosemont tax, which is 5 cents per pack on top of state and federal cigarette taxes, will not be increased or decreased under Kotowski's proposal. But it would be applied to other forms of tobacco based on weight.
A Senate committee approved the plan by a 9-3 vote and sent it to the floor for further debate.
Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont voted against it.
“If it's good for these four communities, wouldn't it be good for the rest of the state?” she asked.