The Village of Peotone will vote to officially end its vehicle sticker program at their board meeting on January 27, 2025. This decision comes after many years of discussion and a current review of the program’s impact on both the Village’s budget and its residents.
The Village Administrator presented the historical data on the program to the Mayor and Trustees at the December 16th board meeting. The board discussed their initial concerns about the impact of elimination of this program on revenue. Following this review, the consensus was that the vehicle sticker program should be ended.
“There were some concerns about how ending the program would affect our revenue streams and budget, but with the steady increase in revenues from new and existing businesses, we are confident we can make this change without negative consequences,” said Mayor Peter March
The vehicle sticker program, which required residents to purchase a sticker for every vehicle regularly parked or housed in the village, has been in place for many years. Renewal forms were typically mailed to residents in late December, with stickers available for purchase until mid-February. The process has long been a manual, staff-intensive operation, which required residents to make trips to Village Hall to pay fees and obtain their stickers.
Village Administrator Nick Palmer noted that ending the program would benefit residents by eliminating the need for them to complete the task each year. “This is a way to give some dollars back to our residents while eliminating a process that was costly and time-consuming for the Village,” Palmer said. The Village has collected approximately $70,000 annually and staff believes these dollars can be replaced with other resources of revenue and streamlining operations.
Mayor March emphasized the Village’s focus on improving services and cutting unnecessary costs. “The Trustees and I have continually asked our staff to find ways to streamline services and better serve residents. Ending the vehicle sticker program is a practical step in that direction,” he said.
The Village Board will review a draft ordinance to formally eliminate the program in January 2025, at which point the program’s formal discontinuation will take effect. As a result, no renewal letters will be sent out to residents at the end of December, marking the end of the annual process that has been in place for years.
This move is seen as a positive step toward simplifying village operations and reducing unnecessary burdens on both staff and residents.
