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Friday, February 24, 2017

TIF Districts Are Well Represented In Janesville's At-Large City Government


If somebody told me the retail commercial strip surrounding Humes Road (Hwy 14) at the I39/90 Interstate in Janesville required taxpayer TIF District surplus cash to develop more retail (or hotels), without thinking I'd say "no waaaaay."

But, if you're familiar with Janesville's captured city government and the embedded wealth redistribution network governing the use of public taxpayer dollars for private-for-profit enterprise, you would say, "Yes way. Way."

That is precisely what the city council will approve at their next meeting when the Freitag administration will speak on behalf to represent yet another developer who expects to receive about $2.8M.

In exchange, the developer promises to develop his property. I'm not kidding you.

WCLO Excerpt:
Economic Development Director Gale Price says a TIF agreement under consideration by the City Council would have a developer rehabilitate the former Menards building to make way for four new national retail tenants.

Price says as part of the agreement under consideration by the council, the developer would rehabilitate the property, increasing the value by an estimated $6 million. In return, the City would fill a $2.8 million financing gap on a pay as you go basis.

If only a decision to fund public enhancement projects like the Monterey Dam with TIF District surplus had that kind of representation at City Hall. But I digress.

Instead, we have supporters of the dam fighting for its survival much on their own, without support from the city and a city manager resorting to Trumpism describing their views and positions as based on, "alternative facts."

One question to ask is; Who speaks on behalf of city taxpayers to request TIF District surplus funding to pay for qualifying public enhancement projects? Certainly not the folks at city hall. The reality is - they're our adversaries.

The bottom line is the same as it ever was before.

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