By: Diane Benjamin
I don’t know how many people pay attention to the blathering on WJBC by Forum commentators, but what Matejka said about TIF’s is nothing more than government talking points. Matejka is after all Chris Koos’ good buddy.
See what he said here: http://www.wjbc.com/2019/03/13/wjbc-voices-understanding-tif-investments/?fbclid=IwAR12JhuXkWjHND1rhHt_Y0UlUjfoszIG6WStPU9lVKiGpM2KofKlh3_DfII
One side note first:
It’s great to see Democrats till haven’t figured out why Trump won in 2016. I wonder how Mike explains historical low unemployment for minorities and why lots of them have joined #WalkAway:
Back to TIFs. Matejka claimed eventually schools will see an increase, he failed to say how long that would take. The life of a TIF is 23 years with a possible 12 year extension. I guess that would qualify as eventually – like when the guys who started it are dead and gone!
Mike didn’t say that Normal has 5 TIFs: https://tinyurl.com/y3skf2cy
Let’s look at just the Uptown TIF. This pic recaps how much increased property tax value has been generated since the TIF began in 2003:
All the construction and new buildings have only generated an additional $12.8 million dollars in property taxes. Meanwhile, page 8 of the TIF report shows Normal took out bonds totaling $74,700,000 to get that return! That took 15 years. INTEREST is not included!
That $12.8 million didn’t go to Unit 5, it’s a slush fund for the Town to payoff developers to locate in Uptown and maybe some infrastructure.
Keep in mind Normal has 4 other TIF’s which also keep money from other units of government like Unit 5. Matejka left out essential details. No surprise. He also didn’t mention the long list of tax increases that have been inflicted on citizens because of the Uptown gamble.
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“Tax Hike” Mike has been a curse on the taxpayers of B-N for as long as he has held held his union boss position. Just remember his screwing the voters on the Coliseum, the biggest scam he and his union cronies ever dumped on the taxpayers. Hey Mike… how many millions has that POS stolen from the city coffers and taxpayers????
Koosville employs people well-skilled in sleight-of-mouth. A friend was going to an event where he knew RC was going to be and asked me for some zinger questions. I saved him the trouble – RC has a well-rehearsed library of half-truth answers that deflect from the real truth until you can dig at Least 3 questions in – and he knows to thank you for your time and move on to somebody else before you get that far. Rather impressive actually if you look only at the skill and not at the negative impact he has on the people he’s supposed to be representing.
Here’s my question for R.C. Since he and Kathleen were the two no votes for a pay increase for Normal Town Council members they very effectively dodged it becoming a campaign issue. If reelected will they be returning the increase back to the town of Normal?
I also figured out the Real reason the mayor and council needed those raises – winning strongly contested (aka undeserved) re-election campaigns is hard. It takes a lot of money to drown out the truth!
It was once considered an honor to be a forum commentator. It was unacceptable to have ulterior motives in your broadcasts and to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. We now have a new free speech era where an avowed socialist is given the bully pulpit.
ANOTHER reason NOT to SHOP or even GO to UPTOWN. Mr Matejka is a legend in his own mind. And IF he were as smart as he would LIKE you to think he is, he MIGHT actually be able to present a decent argument. As it is, “Mr I’m ALL ABOUT LABOR” Has a very DIFFICULT time partitioning truth from facts. It’s been one of his LIFE LONG accomplishments..
Robbing Peter to pay Paul scheme. Eventually it fails.
Been there and seen it myself on a school board. The school districts get $crewed. Why they don’t oppose TIF’s more is beyond me.
I believe they can renew a TIF a number of times. I’d have to check the state statutes to know for sure but it seems like they can.
Unit 5 Education Association endorsed Stan Nord because of TIF’s. Name might not be right, but close.
I was around Matejka ONE time, he totally disgusted me in that he made my skin crawl sort of way and that was even way back when I was still a faithful little Democrat, and was dumb as a rock and thought I was well informed. He is so deeply entrenched though I don’t think anyone or anything can ever remove the blight that is Mike Matejka from this area, and I’m sure he will never remove himself.
People need continually reminded he voted for the Coliseum!
He now lives in Normal. Drive by his house and pay careful attention to the signs in his yard so you know who not to vote for.
Or, I’ll save you the gas (we are after all facing a gas tax). McBride, Lorenz and Shields. No surprise there. Same in Koos’ front yard.
Wake up Normal. Vote!
Yes, they do.
Oops! You used a GOP talking point about the economy. Better ban yourself Dee Dee!
So when Obama was President, the economy was somehow bad and Trump often claimed the job numbers were lies. He gets in office and all of a sudden the economy was best ever despite an 8-year expansion coming into Presidency. He touts the low unemployment of minorities but much of the success is because of those liberal cities helping to create the conditions for those good numbers. But, I forget you are a economic expert and everyone refers to your book as to how to create wealth…oh wait..that was Warren Buffet.
I will let you get back to your TIF stuff.