Politics
Cook County Sales Tax Referendum on November 2026 Ballot, With Logan Square Costs Set to Begin in 2027
Logan Square residents would pay the added tax at stores along Milwaukee Avenue starting January 2027 if the measure passes, while housing and transit allocations would follow later in the year.
How we reported this
The Cook County Board placed a referendum on the November 3, 2026, ballot that would raise the county sales tax by one-quarter of one percent to support affordable housing construction and Chicago Transit Authority infrastructure upgrades. The measure applies across all of Cook County, including Logan Square households that shop at neighborhood retailers and use the CTA Blue Line.
County officials scheduled the vote after reviewing revenue shortfalls documented in the 2025 Cook County budget documents. Those records showed gaps in funding for both housing assistance programs and transit maintenance projects that serve northwest side communities.
Timeline for Local Effects
If approved, the tax increase takes effect January 1, 2027, according to the language in the Cook County Clerk ordinance. Shoppers in Logan Square would see the change reflected in receipts at grocery stores and other businesses along Milwaukee Avenue within the first month. Program funds for new housing units would be distributed starting July 2027, with initial project bids expected by September of that year.
Residents who rent in the neighborhood could encounter higher listed prices at local stores immediately after implementation. Those seeking housing support through county programs would apply through the Chicago Housing Authority portal once allocations begin, with the first approved applicants notified by December 2027.
The legislation states that an estimated portion of the new revenue, drawn from the same distribution formula used in the 2026 county budget, would be directed to CTA projects that include Blue Line station repairs serving Logan Square commuters. County records list the Blue Line segment between Western and California Avenues among the routes scheduled for capital work under the plan.
Next Steps After the Vote
Ballots will be mailed to registered voters in Logan Square by October 15, 2026, under the standard Cook County election schedule. Certified results are due by December 1, 2026, after which the County Board must adopt an implementing ordinance within 30 days.
Policy analysts at the Cook County Clerk office project that the first quarterly tax collections would reach the treasurer by April 2027, triggering the release of program guidelines for housing and transit spending the following month.