Crestwood handing out $50 gas cards to residents this month – Chicago Tribune

The village of Crestwood is giving out more than $62,000 in gas gift cards to its residents throughout June. As of Monday around 900 gas cards, each valued at $50, had been claimed by residents.

Mayor Ken Klein said the giveaway was intended to alleviate the strain on residents from rising gas prices. The money is coming from a sales tax surplus that was originally intended as an increase to the residents’ popular tax rebate program, which returns the Crestwood portion of tax bills to the residents. The gas gifts cards, however, will not impact or lower the original rebate amount.

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“We had a decent year with sales tax and had extra money in the budget for rebates,” Klein said. “We were looking at possibly increasing the rebate percentage but one board member said with gas prices surging that gas cards would be beneficial to our residents.”

The village determined the amount of gas cards based on how many residents applied for the rebate program last year.

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“With our yearly rebates, not all residents apply for it, so sometimes we set a budget and have a surplus and don’t spend it all, so it goes back into the surplus,” Klein said.

Even though the estimated budget for the gas giveaway is $62,500, Klein said the village set aside $100,000 in case of increased demand. All money not used will go back into the tax rebate fund.

Klein said the village was inspired by the recent gas giveaways from Chicago businessman Willie Wilson, but decided to go with gift cards to prevent traffic backups and hassles caused by gas giveaways at the pumps.

The gas gift cards were purchased from four participating gas stations in Crestwood and do not expire. Residents must apply through the village’s website and bring ID to village hall showing their Crestwood address in order to receive the gift cards. The deadline to apply is June 30.

This is the second time since the pandemic began that Crestwood has given out vouchers to its residents. Back in 2020 the village gave out vouchers to Crestwood restaurants, both to help residents and to pump money into then-struggling restaurants.

Hannah Kohut is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

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