ELGIN, IL – During the Illinois General Assembly’s Fall Veto session, the House and Senate passed legislation to extend the River Edge Redevelopment Zone historic tax credit for two years until Jan. 1, 2029. This extension will provide Elgin with continued opportunities to attract new development in the core of downtown, especially near the Fox River.

The city of Elgin is exploring ways to reduce single-use items in the community. Elgin's Sustainability Commission has recommended that the city council consider adopting a Retail Single-Use Bag Ordinance that would ban the distribution of single-use plastic checkout bags and place a fee on paper bags.

The city of Elgin’s 2025 Strategic Plan is now live and available to the public in an interactive digital format on ClearGov. The plan can be accessed at elginil.gov/strategicplan.

Elgin has been named one of the best places to live in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, ranking No. 5 among cities in Illinois and earning the No. 122 spot nationally on the publication’s 2025-2026 list of the “250 Best Places to Live in the U.S.”