By: Diane Benjamin
I downloaded the TIF report for you. See yesterday’s story for directions on how to look up information on the Comptroller’s website yourself: https://blnnews.com/2020/09/29/normal-pay-attention-uptown-tif-report/
This story will prove TIF reports can say whatever the Town of Normal wants them to say. When a TIF doesn’t generate enough money to pay the bills, the Town pays them from General Funds. That means whatever they spend on projects in the TIF never make the reports.
Nothing can be clearer than this TIF report submitted by the Town of Normal.
PDF page 10 lists the TIF projects:
Notice any MISSING expenses?
“Public Investment” (your money) at 305 Pine St. is far more than the $9,633 listed. See this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/08/21/lets-revisit-the-route-66-gas-station-gift-shop/
Between paying off Ryburn’s mortgage and other expenses, taxpayers have invested at least $410,000 in this property which Ryburn lives in for $120 a year. Last I heard the “giftshop” never opened this summer.
Jump to PDF page 14
Details of the Nick Africano deal are included, funny how details of the Ryburn deal on the same page are sketchy.
Look back it the TIF reporting, the $483,900 is not included. To date the TIF has only generated $173,035 so obviously there wasn’t enough money available to pay Africano, so taxpayers did.
Note the agreement expired TWO YEARS AGO TODAY. the Town is still renegotiating. (Sure)
Your money is gone, but the TIF report doesn’t reflect that, unless you look at the details. The delict building is still standing.
The Town should send him a 1099 for what they paid. Make his windfall taxable income.
Ask Mayor Koos to explain how this TIF is a success.
No wonder Koos and the elitist clique put together a PAC. They can’t afford to lose their grip on power. When and if a true leader (ahem, Marc) is elected, I suspect these deals will be exposed and contracts torn up. The gravy train is about to be derailed for the cronies feeding at the political trough.
When you are a friend of Koos then enforcement of financially unfavorable contract terms is never a worry. Who cares that Africano’s performance was supposed to have happened 2 years ago? Who cares that Ryburn has not opened her shop in accordance with the contract? When the town attorney refuses to enforce town contracts and the Mayor, and his rubber stamp council are fully complicit in the malfeasance, then taxpayers are left with only 2 choices. Pay for their own attorney to enforce the contracts or vote the mayor and council out. Koos, Preston, Cummings, McCarthy are up for reelection. They have watched silently while this taxpayer screwing is happening.
$483,900.00 to demolish one building, and fix up the other. What I want to know is, where is the money that wasn’t used to complete this project? Where the heck is it? The work was not completed as promised. Why not? Why is the building still sitting there in a state of disrepair? Why is the Town of Normal not making Africano fulfill his part of the agreement? But really more importantly, why did the Town of Normal ever give Nick all this money in the first place???? The Town of Normal could have just as easily paid the company for razing the building. If they had, they would have been in control of the funds until the work was completed. Instead, it’s either sitting in his bank account or it’s already been spent on a lavish vacation for the family🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝
This is what corruption looks like.