Views differ on value of TIF districts
A series of votes earlier this week at the Wheeling village board meeting sparked discussion on the pros and cons of tax increment financing districts, or TIFs.
Rich Rosen, a member of the Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 board, and Wally Salganik, a member of the Indian Trails Library board, both spoke about why TIFs need to be limited. Rosen clarified that he was speaking as a resident of Wheeling and not on behalf of the school board.
In a TIF, taxes from any increase in the value of the property in the district are used to pay for public improvements or financial incentives that will encourage redevelopment of the area.
Rosen said that since implementing a taxing district means assessments are frozen at the current rate for 23 years for all taxing bodies in the village, those bodies -- including the school, library and park districts -- will have to increase their levies to make up for increasing costs.
"It's really going to hurt this community," he said.
Salganik agreed, saying he moved to the area for the excellent schools and library districts, and he didn't want to see them hurt by diverting tax funds to other purposes.
However, Trustee Dean Argiris said it's a fallacy to say that because a TIF district is implemented, taxes have to be raised.
He said when a development area receives TIF funds, it ultimately helps the whole community because those assessments increase.
Argiris also said the village and developers give impact fees to taxing bodies, and he said he didn't want the perception to get out that TIFs are bad for the community.
The village on Monday ultimately voted to extend the area of two TIF districts and extend the life of a third, which the General Assembly and other taxing bodies in the village had previously approved. Taxing bodies also will receive some funds from the village so Wheeling can extend the life of that third TIF.
Kickoff the season: Long Grove will kick off festival season downtown with a tree-lighting ceremony this Saturday.
Carolers will be downtown, at Robert Parker Coffin and Old McHenry roads in the afternoon, and a tree lighting will take place at 4 p.m. in Apple Haus Square.
The downtown also will offer carriage rides from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays from Nov. 25 to Dec. 16 for $5 a person.
Live reindeer will be downtown from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 25 and Dec. 2, and each of the shops downtown will have outdoor chimes ready to catch a breeze.
A lighting of their own: Wheeling will have its own "Lighting of the Lights" ceremony from 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at Friendship Park, at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Dundee Road.
The event will include songs at 6 p.m., the lighting at 6:30 p.m., and Santa and Mrs. Claus at 6:35 p.m.
For more information, contact village hall at (847) 459-2600.
Village manager's award: Bill Brimm, the village manager for Buffalo Grove, was recently given the Innovative Leadership Award by the Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies.
The award was given for Brimm's commitment to expanding and enhancing leadership skills in Buffalo Grove.
Representatives from all the village's departments started a certification program through the university last year, which included monthly classes on leadership, management, finance and economic development.
Brimm was certified through the program in 2005 and wanted to bring the program to the rest of the Buffalo Grove staff.