I am making my triumphant return after missing two meetings due to illnesses. The flu is no joke this year my friends.
Anyway, TIF is being discussed and lots of event applications.
It’s a full house and then some at the meeting tonight.
TIF GUY: This is not a new tax. You may see an administrative note on your tax bill but it’s just a note to say these funds go in the TIF Fund. TIF doesn’t allow the village to take property.
There is no TIF plan yet. There is a join review board which is made up of the impacted taxing bodies. (Schools, township, Parkland, village, ect.)
The joint review board isn’t voting to approve it exactly, because for transparencies sake it should be known that the village doesn’t need their permission to do it. They can just do it.
There will be a public hearing before the TIF plan is finally approved. They are aiming to approve the TIF Plan on May 13.
I recommend you go read my story I posted earlier about TIF but some fast facts: Your taxes do not go up. Basically, this is just a tool for them to use tax dollars to incentives developers. Lots of towns have commercial TIFs. Residential TIFs aren’t as common but aren’t exactly rare either.
The purpose of a TIF is to take property tax dollars from a certain area and invest it in making the TIF district better. The hope is that then people will move here increase sales tax spending and better the town further.
The meeting is going sideways already. A resident is getting upset because the board can’t provide specifics for the TIF money. I honestly don’t think they can do that because they can’t really have plans for it unless there is development. For example, they can’t say we are going to put in a new road for this business without a business.
The hotel was brought up. I honestly haven’t heard about the hotel in a few months. I am not sure it’s going to happen.
TIF GUY: Any money that goes to a developer will be done in public. It has to be an agreement that is approved in a public meeting.
It’s a reminder that it’s not new taxes.
Corey Swanson is talking about how he wants to develop the land near the middle school for seniors. He’s saying as a potential developer putting in the infrastructure to develop is very costly. “If there is anything the city could do to help a developer it would help the community.”
Superintendent Lance Landek is here to speak. He’s the super of the St. Joseph Grade School. 2010 enrollment was more than 900 students now it is 200 students less. The administration has identified that enrollment will decline if nothing is done. The board hasn’t decided if they are for or against the TIF yet. Saying he wants the board to understand the financial implications for the schools. Saying they have developed an agreement for the school to get part of the funds. The funds, per state law, cannot be used for salaries or supplies but only capital projects. They have plenty of classroom space, Landek said. Landek wants a more detailed plan for what TIF $ will be used for.
Tami saying people may not understand a TIF. I am going to say she’s right. A TIF is basically just a different way to allocate property taxes and use those funds to stimulate growth.
Tami just said we don’t want to be Mahomet. (We could have a drinking game for how many times people say that.)
Tami and TIF guy have brought up Homer a few times. They do it differently. They don’t have set agreements with the taxing districts. Every year the school or the fire district says “hey, I need this money for this” and the village writes up and an agreement and then they vote and then they get a check.
My TIF opinion: They have actually been very transparent. We live in the district and I think it’s fine if the schools think its fine. Since the schools aren’t sure, I’m not sure. Luckily, I am going to talk to both superintendents this week and see what they think. It’s really just a different way for them to allocate my property taxes and use it for development. BUT something has to be done because if it isn’t within 20 years St. Joseph will be a completely different won that has gotten smaller and smaller. This is one of the best options to prevent that.
They are doing a Corey Thompsen Memorial 5K. More details forthcoming.
It will be a yearly memorial run that will fund the scholarship at the high school. We are envisioning something that is law enforcement focused. Something like a touch a truck. It would be an evening race. We would have a beer tent after words. Smith Burger, Sidney Dairy Barn, Kolten Taylor, Owen Knapp and Logan Allen. Fundraiser activities.
The board approved the four churches request for an event that will take place near Easter for the Procession of the Cross.
St. Joseph FUTBOL Club is here. They are asking for some equipment, specifically to replace the bent up goals. The board approved $3,300 to replace it.
They are discussing lawn care now.
][
‘]{|{{|
You must be logged in to post a comment.