City & Suburban Distributors-Illinois, Inc. v. City of Chicago

Plaintiffs, numerous wholesale and retail distributors of liquor and two individual liquor purchasers, filed a three-count complaint seeking declaratory and injunctive relief challenging the Chicago Liquor Tax Ordinance (Chicago Municipal Code sec. 200.11 (1986)) passed by the Chicago city council on May 14, 1986. Plaintiff’s complaint challenged both the constitutionality of the tax and the procedural method by which it was passed and sought a preliminary injunction against enforcement and collection of the tax. The defendant, the city of Chicago, filed a motion to dismiss. The trial court…