Orland Park board approves TIF reimbursement for Ravinia Avenue and backs Amazon’s Cook County application

The Orland Park village board approved two resolutions related to a road extension and a prospective tax-incentive application by Amazon.

First, the board approved a tax increment financing (TIF) reimbursement resolution tied to connecting Ravinia Avenue to 100 61st Street in LaGrange. Mayor Jim Dodge said the resolution "doesn't create a TIF, but instead, if the village eventually chooses a TIF in the future, we can reimburse ourselves to recoup the cost of connecting Ravinia Avenue to 100 61st Street in LaGrange." The meeting brief did not record a vote tally or indicate a mover or seconder for the motion.

The board also approved a resolution of support that Cook County requires for Amazon to apply directly to the county for a tax incentive. Dodge said the village routinely approves such resolutions and noted that commercial property assessments in Cook County are roughly 2.5 times higher than residential assessments, which he said can complicate economic development. "Ultimately, it is [the] decision of the Cook County Board to grant that incentive," he added.

Dodge emphasized the village is not directly granting incentives to private companies. "Let me be very clear, no company, not Amazon, not Costco, not Pulte Home Builders is receiving any financial incentives directly from the village," he said. He also stated that without the Amazon project the village would not have the ability to fund the road extension project.

The resolutions authorizing reimbursement and support were approved as routine steps the village takes when projects will involve external incentives; the transcript did not provide vote counts or specific funding commitments beyond the reimbursement mechanism.