City Of Darien To Return A Portion Of Taxes To Keep Restaurants Afloat Amid Coronavirus Shutdown

DARIEN, Ill. (CBS) -- The southwest suburban City of Darien has launched a generous plan to save jobs and restaurants amid the coronavirus shutdown, which some businesses say just might work.

As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, you won't find anyone at bars and restaurants in Darien if you drive around – as they're all closed due to the pandemic. But the Darien City Council made a move it hopes will help the businesses remain open.

They are returning a portion of the taxes the owners paid.

In the kitchen at Zazzo's Pizza, they are still flipping the dough. But since the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a drastic decline in the more important kind of dough.

"We're going to do everything in our power to stay open," said Mike Barraco, co-owner of Zazzo's Pizza.

Carry-out and delivery orders are going out the door. But Barraco knows the chairs that have been left stacked in the dining room hurts him and 30 employees financially.

"Especially with the employees and us as owners, it's been a difficult time," he said.

So when Barraco heard what the City of Darien was doing to help Zazzo's and 47 other bars and restaurants, he lost it.

"I had a tear in my eye because I couldn't' be more grateful," Barraco said.

The Darien City Council voted to return the food and beverage tax that restaurants and bars paid in 2019.

"This is basically giving back to them what they've already given to the City of Darien," said Darien Mayor Joseph Marchese.

It amounts to $310,000. Mayor Marchese said the city needed to do more than wait to see if the federal and state loans would be enough for the businesses.

"I'm sure other municipalities are interested in what we did, and I'm sure they're looking at ways they can assist their business community as well," Marchese said.

Zazzo's owners were successful in securing a loan from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP. So Barraco knows the tax rebate will go even further.

"Definitely, we can hire back our staff help us out with inventory; anything we can with it," he said.

But more importantly, getting the tax reimbursement eliminates immediate worry.

"It's a light at the end of the tunnel," Barraco said.

The money will be available whenever the governor allows bars and restaurants to reopen. The mayor said they were able to put some road projects on hold, allowing them to refund the tax revenue.