CHICAGO – A strip club in Bridgeview is seeking a court's order regarding what it alleges is an excessive assessment of amusement taxes on lap dances.
Vonch LLC, which operates Polekatz Gentleman's Club in Bridgeview, filed a complaint on Dec. 10 in Cook County Circuit Court against the Cook County Department of Revenue and its director Zahra Ali to appeal an decision of an administrative law judge.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff seeks an order to vacate the Nov. 5 decision of Administrative Law Judge L. Anita Richardson. The plaintiff is challenging the Cook County Department of Revenue's assessment of $1.7 million in taxes, interest and penalties for lap dances. The complaint asserts Richardson wrongly denied its requests for relief from the notice, the suit states.
The plaintiff alleges Richardson's opinion adversely affects its legal rights by improperly and unlawfully subjecting it to county amusement taxes and penalties. The complaint asserts the club is protected from the tax by the so-called small venue exemption under the county ordinance.
The plaintiff seeks judgment against the department ordering it to modify the notice and such other relief as the court deems just. They are represented by Joshua A. Nasser of Lavelle Law LTD in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 18-L-050838