Joliet incentive package for World Kia makes room for local jobs

A city tax incentive package for the World Kia expansion includes a local job factor.

The Joliet City Council on Tuesday approved sales tax rebates worth $820,500 over 10 years for World Kia. The dealership will open a second location on Jefferson Street for used car sales and service operations.

The rebate package replicates what Joliet has provided other car dealers for expansion projects, city officials said.

But the city added a requirement that at least 25% of the new Kia workers hired for the expansion be from Joliet.

“I think it’s good because it gets people involved in economic development in the city of Joliet,” council member Cesar Cardenas said of the local job factor added to the agreement.

Kia estimates that the expansion will create 23 new jobs.

Cardenas leads the council’s Land Use and Economic Development Committee, which last month reviewed the World Kia incentive package before it went to the council for a vote.

At that meeting, Economic Development Director Paulina Martinez described the local job component in the agreement as a “pilot program” but said it has been used in other municipalities.

World Kia is located at 2525 W. Jefferson St.

The dealership is buying property located several blocks away at 1705 W. Jefferson St. That site located east of Larkin Avenue is used by RightWay Auto Sales.

World Kia plans to begin using the new site by sometime in September, according to a staff memo on the incentive agreement.

Although Joliet would rebate most of the sales tax revenue during the 10-year period, the city also expects to get $520,000 in sales taxes from the expanded World Kia operation.