TIFs only a bane to other taxing bodies

Do Batavia property tax payers want to pay about $13 million of their taxes to help redevelop the former First Baptist church at the corner of Washington and Wilson streets?

Almost a decade ago, the City of Batavia purchased the former church. The church had unsuccessfully tried to sell the property so it could relocate Geneva. The city council purchased at full list price. The City Council and the Batavia historical groups have presented nothing but obstacles for the redevelopment of the property.

Now a new proposal has been presented to the city council.

The redevelopment proposal is to raise the former church building and the parking garage. The developer wants to build 171 apartments, 300 parking spaces with retail space on Washington and Wilson. The estimated cost is $40 million. The developer requests that the City of Batavia issue TIF bonds for $13 million or over 30 percent of the projected cost.

TIF funds are only for the benefit of the developer. The true losers in TIF financing are the school district, park district, library district and even the police and fire pension funds. Any tax increase on the property is used for the redevelopment or to repay the $13 million in bonds.

The Geneva School District is challenging the TIF requests for the Mill Race Inn property. The developer claims that there will be $800,000 in additional property tax revenue. This increase only happens when the project is totally complete and the TIF expires in 23 years.

The Batavia Mayor and city council have to stop using TIF's as the "golden parachute" to redevelop property. TIF's only decrease revenue for other taxing units.

Jack McCabe

Batavia