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TIF Funds for New Infrastructure, not Existing

(33 posts)
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  1. Catherine
    Member

    I have been very concerned with what the needs of Riverside are that the TIF project is deemed necessary to fund. Some folks said things about the "infrastructure" or the "sewage system." Ms Rush graciously posted the engineering study done regarding our sewage system requirements. I realize now that this study contemplates what our new requirements will be with the contemplated development. [Total about 1.2 mil.]
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    Question 1: A lot of this pipe replacement runs along streets with existing homes on them. What will need to be torn up to replace these pipes?
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    Question 2: Does anyone know what are our present infrastructure needs are now and in the projected future [for Riverside as it is]how much they do and will cost, and what is our shortfall?
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    Question 3: Can anyone tell me what is wrong with our finances or budget so that, as trustee Smith said, we have to choose between police payroll and tree maintenance?
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    It is hard to tell how TIF is going to help with these needs we already have; so far I am seeing it requiring the laying out of a lot of money but only speculation and no real feasibilty study about recovering our costs AND generating the revenue to pay for the Riverside we know today.

    Posted Monday Jan 15, 2007 17:38 #

  2. Elisa
    Member

    Also, how does the projected $170,000+ per year revenue from the tax referendum (the 1% sales tax passed in March 2006)- which is only to be used to address road and sidewalk construction and maintenance- play into all of this? (I have to say that I have not perused the budget [as I suppose I could/should] to see how this projected income is budgeted.)

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 00:05 #

  3. MikeT
    Member

    Catherine - and anyone else posting questions that might be relevant to the Board -

    I will repeat what I said in another post:

    please also post your good questions that you are posting in the forum to the Village Board using the CONTACT TRUSTEES function here or whatever email or snail mail system you have.

    And, if you want, please consider sharing the responses if you think it is productive to all.

    recall that all the board cannot view this forum.

    thanks

    miket

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 00:34 #

  4. CandiGrace
    Member

    Mike - The trustees can read this forum and many do. They just can't post because then it would be a discussion. Actually, one more could post, since two isn't too many :) Furthermore, Katy Rush and I make sure that dialog from this site gets into our weekly packets. Also, posting their responses then becomes problematic because it can be viewed as a 'discussion'. If you get an email responses from two or three other trustees and post them, then it becomes a 'discussion' to any trustees who read those posts. So you'll guarantee that I will no longer read this forum because I am a stickler about the open meetings act. I may be misinterpreting the act in this case, but I don't want anyone to ever be able to say that the fate of this TIF was decided on this website which isn't a public, properly posted meeting.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 10:28 #

  5. Catherine
    Member

    CandiGrace, if you are still reading this forum, please give your comment on the substantive issue raised above.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 10:55 #

  6. CandiGrace
    Member

    Catherine - if you're referring to your 3 questions above, I don't have enough info to currently answer. I'm in the process of getting the answers.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 11:41 #

  7. Catherine
    Member

    OK, thanks very much. I will be most interested to know.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 11:43 #

  8. JGage
    Member

    Catherine, i have not looked at the budget but i can give you a similar example from when working with a developer directly and why choices between finances are say police versus trees. When dealing with the general contractor he deals with the union trades just as many of the police and fire are unionized pretty much throughout Illinois. Well in construction those union guys don't just get a salary there is required health care, vacation, overtime, pension, etc etc. So when my former boss was getting cost projections/estimates to build you have "salary" of the guy plus his benefits.

    Perfect example some construction employers provide say winter clothing i.e. the overalls you see the guys wearing. I'll bet by law or contract police guys get bulletproof jackets ever once in while. My cousin is a Kane County sheriff and they get a new bulletproof jacket every few years for say $800 b/c they apparently expire too.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 11:57 #

  9. Catherine
    Member

    I have no problem with union workers in skilled trades, as I know they are better trained than those who are not. I do have a problem with unskilled new employees being offered pensions, as is the case in the new town hall receptionist position.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 12:01 #

  10. JGage
    Member

    So the idea is that there are a lot of required or mandatory costs that people tend to forget or don't realize. I mean when all the construction unions say we won't pay more than a 10% for health care what is a contractor to do. I bet its the same with police where the unions may say for example - new bulletproof vest every 4 years b/c of safety and all the illinois police unions say the same thing what is a local government to do? So like my cousin at Kane county say $800 times 30 vests every few years = $2400. note these are just example numbers. then think gun, uniform etc etc

    Posted Wednesday Jan 17, 2007 12:03 #

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