County loses as Rosemont refuses to collect tax

When Britney Spears shimmied across the Allstate Arena stageWednesday night, Cook County taxpayers lost about $10,000.

And when Prince finishes his third sold-out show there thissummer, county taxpayers stand to lose roughly $35,000.

That's because the Village of Rosemont, the northwest suburbhousing the stadium, still refuses to charge event-goers an amusementtax that has been in effect countywide since 1997.

Court motions were filed last week as part of a seven-year legalbattle between Cook County commissioners -- who imposed the tax --and Rosemont officials, who refuse to acknowledge or collect it.

But there seems to be no end in sight to the fight, and countyofficials, meanwhile, claim they are losing millions from the tinybut entertainment-rich community just as county coffers need thecash.

Peter Silvestri, a Republican commissioner from Elmwood Park, wasopposed to the tax when it was created but said a settlement is "inthe best interest of taxpayers."

The tax calls for a 1.5 percent tax on venues with more than 5,000seats and 1 percent tax on smaller venues. Those with fewer than 750seats are not subject to the tax.

While revenues generated by Rosemont's proposed Isle of CapriCasino would not be subject to the amusement tax, any non-casinoevents there could be.

Last year alone, the tax brought the county $15.4 million fromevents at the United Center, Soldier Field and other spots. Rosemontcould yield $1 million a year, according to a Chicago Sun-Timesestimate.

Rosemont officials claim they don't have to collect a tax onbehalf of another governmental body.