Discover how Westmont, Illinois partnered with Localgov to modernize its Places for Eating Tax by simplifying monthly filing, improving on-time compliance, and reducing a significant portion of the administrative workload. By shifting from a paper-based process to an automated and user-friendly digital system, Westmont created a more efficient and transparent experience for both village staff and local restaurants.
Westmont is a vibrant suburban community known for a lively and diverse dining scene. With over 100 restaurants ranging from BBQ and Italian to Chinese cuisine, the village offers something for every palate. Add in small businesses, regular community events, and a steady flow of restaurant customers, and the Places for Eating Tax represents a meaningful piece of Westmont’s local revenue. As the dining economy expanded and business owners increasingly sought convenience and flexibility, village leaders realized the existing paper-based tax filing system was becoming a burden—for both taxpayers and municipal staff.
-1.png?width=1305&height=742&name=Document%20(1)-1.png "Village Hall on Quincy St")
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Westmont’s tax administration process had several limitations. The monthly filing and payment system required restaurant operators to submit paper forms and checks, or come into the office in person. That posed multiple issues:
After examining the needs—and listening to feedback from restaurant operators—Westmont decided to partner with Localgov. Localgov’s online filing and payment platform provided exactly the mix of convenience, automation, and administrative relief the village needed. With Localgov in place:
Since adding Localgov, Westmont has seen clear improvements in both compliance and operations:
By modernizing the Places for Eating Tax with Localgov, Westmont traded tedious paper processing for a streamlined, digital, taxpayer-friendly system. The transformation relieved staff burden, improved reliability of payments, strengthened compliance, and enhanced transparency—benefiting both the village and its business community. For municipalities with similar tax streams and growing hospitality sectors, Westmont’s experience shows that even modest volumes (≈ 100 restaurants) can justify a switch to an automated platform. The administrative time saved and compliance gains often pay for the platform many times over.
As one village finance supervisor noted: “Before Localgov, managing Places for Eating returns took significant time and effort every month—and we still had late filings, inconsistent penalties, and no clean record-keeping. Now everything is online, automated, and transparent. Compliance is up, staff time is down, and businesses finally have a system that makes sense.”
Ready to bring convenience and compliance to your community? Schedule a personalized demo with our team and see how Localgov can help your city recover revenue, boost taxpayer satisfaction, and stay ahead of growth.
Localgov’s concierge support manages most taxpayer questions and onboarding, meaning Westmont’s small finance team can spend less time chasing paperwork and more time on accounting and strategy.
Previously, staff had to manage paper filings and spreadsheets, making reporting and historical tracking difficult. Localgov fits naturally into Westmont’s workflow, making data easy to access and supporting efficient, ongoing administration.
"Localgov transformed the way we handle our Places for Eating Tax. What used to take days of paperwork and follow-up is now streamlined, automated, and easy for both staff and businesses. Our team can focus on higher-value work, and restaurants appreciate how simple filing and payment has become.”
Natasha Buh
Finance Supervisor
The Village of Westmont, Illinois
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