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1. MikeT
   Member

   Thank you for coming to the polls and expressing your will.

   When I was working the flyers in the Blythe Park area, I FELT a kinship with the home in each flyer I placed on a door. The landscape, the homes, with their charming country look and feel, that looked orderly, in scale, and in harmony with the vibe of RIverside, like mini libraries, and even the walkways, done with attention to detail, told me that these homeowners know what Riverside is truly about.

   Two reasons I bring this up::

   1) I am reporting what I saw/felt
   2) This area was as far away from the CBD (the area of concern for the TIF) as can be and people from here still voted against the TIF. It shows that they value the interconnected-ness of the Olmstedian mobius strip of space called RIverside. It also showed, as evidenced by their well kept homes that they value ORDER, rationality, keeping track of things, keeping things in the right place. They were telling the Village board that this TIF is not in the right place, is not rational, is not ordered, and finally, is not in harmony with Riverside.

   Hurrah for the people.

   Yes, if a people do not post in a forum, you CAN hear them !

   .
   same remarks apply to all the other interconnected parts of RIverside.

   +
   http://www.riversideinfo.org/forum/topic.php?id=25&page&replies=38#post-251
   corbi328 said--
   I happen to think that a silent majority (hopefully not apathetic) is in favor of the TIF. Most people who see the benefit of the TIF don't have the energy or the time to come on this forum to discuss these issues with other residents.

   Posted Wednesday Apr 18, 2007 01:08 #

2. spatny
   Member

   FOUR TO ONE!

   The facts are that it is now abundantly clear that the vast majority of the residents do not want a TIF. Many more of them came out and voted than the average turnout for this type of election, and the Board should honor the will of the voters by dropping this TIF project IMMEDIATELY and not wasting another dollar or another meeting on it. The Board and the Village Manager have had their day in the sun, and now that it has rained on their parade they should stop their star-gazing romances with high-priced consultants (like the $11 thousand dollar lady for the "upscale Art Fair") and get down to the less goamourous aspects of running the Village like planting trees and taking care of the public lands and fixing what is broken. If they have any time to spare then they could put it to good use by trying to work out a deal to bring reality to to the VC lease numbers and help to find a tenant for that building that will bring a good, affordable restuarant into that space.

   When I picked up the pizza at Villa Nova's last night I saw they are opening up in Lockport and also looking for one more location to expand to. They do a fantastic business and if that quality pizza was available in a nice ambiance eat in-take out facility at the Village Center I'm sure they could do well - IF the rents were reasonable. That's what the Board and the EDC should be working on - that and fixing what is really broken, and stop trying to play Empire Builder.

   Posted Wednesday Apr 18, 2007 08:47 #

3. spatny
   Member

   We call on the Village Board to amend the following agenda so as to respect the will of the voters and end this TIF initiative at the earliest possible moment.

   SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE
   RIVERSIDE VILLAGE BOARD
   6:30 p.m.--April 23, 2007, Auditorium

   Riverside Town Hall
   27 Riverside Road
   Riverside, IL 60546

   I. Call to Order
   II. Roll Call
   III. Pledge of Allegiance
   IV. Review and Revise Proposed Tax Increment Financing District and
   Redevelopment Plan
   V. Adjourn

   Posted Wednesday Apr 18, 2007 13:38 #

4. MikeT
   Member

   I second this motion. All in favor say aye.

   Posted Wednesday Apr 18, 2007 15:00 #

5. MikeT
   Member

   Every once in a while I see the real issues (as we saw during the some of the workshops) and other possible solutions vs this unbelievable exercise in conflict.

   As I was driving down quincy to the minute man this morning around 4:30 after doing my taxes as well as my brothers' taxes, I thought for a brief moment that we were free of this monkey with a razor blade on our back called the TIF and I was observing how nice and paved QUincy was.

   It occurred to me that Riverside is such a wonderful and scenic place for a bike ride through it. So I wondered about an event where we close off some or a lot of the streets and host a big bike tour through our town.

   Again, our inaccessibility, the very thing that might make regular type of retailing difficult, might be a locus around which we can attract people for such events.

   the model is mackinaw island. riverside as a charming tranquil island in a sea of modern stress nests.

   They certainly could not cordone off a aignificant part of Berwyn, Oak PArk etc to even conceive of such an event, call it Riverside: the movable feast.

   add other similar events

   walking / running
   roller skating

   I am reminded of oak park day in our village a bit. but we can make it a green exercise / archo tourist kind of thing, too.

   Posted Wednesday Apr 18, 2007 16:12 #

6. spatny
   Member

   It appears that the Villgae Board - or specifically President Wiaduck, Trustees Grace, Shields, Scully and Smith are, at the prodding of the Village Manager, hell-bent on establishing this TIF despite the fact that almost no one ever comes forth to say they are for it, and 80% of the voters that went to the polls voted against it. They appear to be ready to vote to spend another $25-50,000. of your tax money with Kane, McKenna Associates to attempt to prove that Riverside qualifies for this ill-conceived idea. That must not happen.

   I urge everyone who believes that the TIF is a wrong strategy for Riverside, and that the Board should honor the decision of the voters to do several things:

   Call or email the Trustees and let them no in no uncertain terms that you are against the TIF, Speak to your neighbors and ask them to do the same, and Contribute to the legal fund which will be raised to take this issue to court should that become necessary.

   Make no mistake, the track record of this Board is clear - and Riverside will be packed with oversize, ugly condo buildings if this inititive goes ahead. The Village Center is just a taste of things to come. Whatever it takes, if you love Riverside and value its unique charm and character, its tranquility and small town ambiance, then please step up and help. This Board must be stopped from ruining what we have, and it must be stopped now, before it is too late.

   Posted Sunday May 13, 2007 12:56 #

7. MikeT
   Member

   Please assume that the Board of Trustees are free thinking individuals with the best interests of Riverside firmly in mind. With this assumption, it is reasonable for you to let your opinion be known. vs the board being a monolithic organization who are subservient to other interests.

   this applies to people calling in and leaving a message at 447 2700 d and to emailing them http://www.riversideinfo.org/contact-trustees/

   [edited by admin]

   Posted Monday May 14, 2007 10:45 #

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