Election 2011 Video: Where do Village Trustee Candidates Stand on a Downtown TIF District?

Two weeks ago as part of our Election 2011 coverage we asked candidates for village trustee for their stance on the use of a Tax Increment Finance District to attract and help redevelop parts of downtown Oswego.

Candidates were asked to adhere to a 200 word limit in their answers. Below are the answers we received. Candidates ,, and did not return answers to our questions. However, in the attached videos to this story they, along with the other candidates, can be seen giving their stance on the issue from Wednesday night's forum at the . Trustee candidate did not attend the forum.

I am already on record as supporting a TIF.

My many letters to the Ledger tell that story. Today, it is hard for anyone to raise capital to develop property or buy a house. In my opinion a TIF is a great way to help anyone finance improvement projects with the least effect on the taxpayers.

A TIF agreement must have strings attached. If someone borrows money, they sign a contract. The borrowers must make a commitment that they cannot back out of. The Village must write the TIF so the borrower is responsible to pay it back. A TIF is a good deal for developers, it also must be a good deal for the Village.

I don’t support a TIF district for downtown Oswego.

By definition a TIF district is for a blighted area. If downtown Oswego is blighted then one would expect to see significantly lower property values than normal. There has been a decrease in property value, but nothing more than what would be considered normal considering current economic situation in the country.

I believe it’s the responsibility of the village to bring necessary infrastructure to a development. It isn’t the village’s responsibility to make improvements to a developer’s property or offer incentives in an effort to make their project more affordable.

In much the same way the village wouldn’t compensate a homeowner for overpaying for a home they purchased. The TIF district is for an area approximately 7 acres, for 23 years, at a price of almost 22 million dollars. If the development doesn’t occur then the village is still financially responsible for the above
mentioned debt.

The village would then have to find a way to pay this debt without potential revenue the developments would have generated. I don’t believe the village should put our children’s future at risk with little to no certainty the developer will complete their project.

The worst thing that came out of last summer’s TIF discussion was the Beacon News article that says “Oswego Closed for Business”. 

One of my primary motivations in running for Village Trustee is to change that image.  I am a Pro Business candidate and want to make clear that current and potential businesses are welcome in Oswego. 

The only way for us to lessen our tax burden and to create jobs for our residents is to have a positive business environment, this is why we must put the TIF issue to rest.  The statute creating TIF districts requires a two prong test, that an area be “blighted” and that absent Tax Increment Financing development would not otherwise take place. 

While it is certainly arguable that the lumber site has become rundown I would hardly say downtown Oswego has become blighted and if allowed to take its ordinary course in the market place it will develop.  As long as we continue to send mixed messages as to whether a TIF will be designated, the downtown will never reach its full potential. 

That’s why we need to review the downtown framework plan and make clear our goals and responsibilities for doing business in Oswego and remove the downtown as a potential TIF site.

No, I don’t support a TIF. Supporting a TIF does not mean we are assured of new
downtown businesses and development. I believe we need to rethink our downtown
strategy. The focus so far has been on developing the area west of the tracks. My vision for the vacant lumberyard area is to create a ‘town square’ gathering place.

I would like to see open space filled with walkways and large grassy areas where a amphitheater would be constructed. I envision this area as a place for the community to gather. Events like Movies in the Park, Easter Egg hunt, Oktoberfest celebration, ice skating rink, summer time band concerts and other events can be held here.

The increased traffic from these events would bring more people to the downtown which promotes existing business, an often overlooked and important need, and will encourage more investment downtown by new businesses.

We have already spent $2.5 million on downtown beautification and offered $800,000 on additional public infrastructure and if we work with the park district perhaps this with additional grant money and park district funds would make this vision possible with careful planning.