In a recent Daily Herald article, Councilman Josh McBroom voiced concerns about Naperville’s food and beverage tax expansion — a new ordinance that now includes drive-through-only businesses like 7 Brew, Scooter’s Coffee, and Chick-fil-A. While the change aims to ensure fairness among restaurants, McBroom questioned how the resulting tax revenue is being used, particularly the growing allocations to the Special Events and Community Arts (SECA) grant program.
“I think it’s time that we have a public discussion,” McBroom said. “I would hope that part of that would be some standards, some conduct, possibly for applicants. And then, maybe really zero in on what the intention is and kind of safeguard the future and protect the program, because it’s going to keep getting bigger.”
McBroom called for a deeper public review of SECA’s history, standards, and spending priorities, emphasizing the need for transparency and long-term safeguards as the program expands.
Read the full article to learn more about the council’s decision and McBroom’s push for accountability in how Naperville uses tax dollars.
