Minutes from the Woodstock City Council reveal that efforts are in motion to continue the flow of money being used to rnow enovate the Old Courthouse (where I served as McHenry County Treasurer from 1966-1970). The mechanism will continue to … Continue reading
From Woodstock’s Susan Handelsman: Universal TIF District: If a municipality chooses to incorporate a TIF District there is little recourse under Illinois law to stop it. As Steve Willson’s seminal FOIA of a preeminent TIF consulting firm indicates (49 of … Continue reading
Scott Coffey, President of the Cary Grade School District, attended the Village of Cary’s Tax Increment Financing District meeting last week and offers the following account of what happened: I think I may have been the only elected official in … Continue reading
Tom Tresser offers the following: “TIF 101” and how to organize around them – 11/11 It’s the graph that explains how Tax Increment Financing districts work. I added the EXTRA descriptions. TIFs suck up property tax dollars and place them … Continue reading
A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: Real Estate Developer Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Banks and the City of Chicago CHICAGO — A federal judge today sentenced a Chicago real estate developer to three … Continue reading
From Lakewood Village Trustee Jason McMahon: Lakewood Residents Intentionally Misled Paul Serwatka intentionally misled Lakewood residents by stating that Jason McMahon and developer Lou Tenore have a “grossly improper” relationship. Paul Serwatka knows the truth and the phone records provided … Continue reading
Lakewood killed its Tax Increment Financing District Tuesday night by a 5-1 vote. The only opposition came from the longest-service Trustee, Carl Davis. (If anyone can remember any TIF district being abolished after this short a time, please let readers … Continue reading
The Lakewood Village Board has the abolition of its Tax Increment Financing District at tonight’s 7 PM meeting at the Red Tail Golf Club. Today an email from former Village President Erin Smith was forwarded to Board members by Village … Continue reading
Since my last report on May 11 there have been a number of interesting, but not-so-pertinent, items that I want to update everyone on, but, I need to emphasize this IMPORTANT news/notice, and in a timely manner, so I will … Continue reading
These are the bills related to Lakewood’s Tax Increment Financing District that have been paid: List of Eligible Redevelopment Project Costs March 14, 2017 Date Vendor Expense Description Authorization Number 06/30/14 Catherine Peterson $46.61 Prof. services re: RDA – … Continue reading
Three local tax districts have taken on Tax Increment Financing Districts in Lakemoor. Since McHenry County Blog was started in 2005 when I got angry about the Vulcan Lakes TIF District, it seems appropriate to focus attention on local tax … Continue reading
The arguments made by Algonquin School District 300 and Barrington School District 200 (see article yesterday) must have had some impact on the Hoffman Estates Village Board. District 300 Superintendent Frederick Heid writes, The Hoffman Estates residential TIF proposed for … Continue reading
A press release from State Rep. Allen Skillicorn: Skillicorn Pushes TIF Reform and Transparency for Taxpayers CRYSTAL LAKE – Last week, State Representative Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) joined with colleagues in the Illinois House of Representatives to pass legislation to … Continue reading
Lakewood Village Trustee Paul Serwatka tells what happened at the recent Tax Increment Financing District meeting, required by law. Reporting On The Lakewood TIF Review Board Meeting A quick update regarding the January 26, 2017 Lakewood TIF Joint Review Board … Continue reading
A message from future Lakewood Village President Paul Serwatka: Follow-Up on TIF District/Sportsplex Following up on recent developments with the TIF District/Sportsplex that I wrote about in my January 1st newsletter, I wanted to share with you what I have … Continue reading
Lakewood Village Trustee and future Village President Paul Serwatka received the following information and Lakewood’s contraversial SportsPlex from a friend. Note that it is now being called a “Community Center” as well as a SportsPlex. “Community Center is a word … Continue reading
Woodstock’s Susan Handelsman, now a candidate for the District 200 School Board, urges readers to contact to their llinois legislators and Governor Bruce Rauner in opposition to the General Assembly’s extension of the alreay 23-year Tax Increment Financing District is … Continue reading
Here are comments sent to Woodstock School Board members in which Susan Handelsman urges the District 200 School Board to oppose the twelve year extension of the Downtown Tax Increment Financing District: Woodstock CUSD 200 Board of Education Members: Woodstock … Continue reading
Chicago Reader’s Ben Joravsky’s take on Chicago Tax Increment Financing Districts: “As you know, TIFs are, in effect, a surcharge added to your property tax. “The proceeds are used to pay for pretty much anything the mayor wants.” He adds … Continue reading
While we were on vacation, Crystal Lake High School Board 155 approved a Tax Increment Financing District in Fox River Grove. Over ten years ago, McHenry County Blog’s first article was one critical for the Crystal Lake City Council’s proposal … Continue reading
