LETTER: guidelines for proper TIF use

To Ozaukee Press:

A big thank you to Allen Kuhl for his letter to the editor in last week’s Ozaukee Press discussing the use of tax incremental financing for so many Port Washington projects.

He is 100% right that TIF is not being correctly used. Perhaps the mayor and the council should actually study the guidelines for the correct use of TIF funding.

Just in case the mayor and the council are not familiar with them, here are the TIF guidelines:

“A TIF (tax increment financing) district is an area within a city that, after much careful study by the city and expert consultants, is found to be blighted and without hope of attracting private investment without some governmental intervention.

These are important criteria that must be met prior to the creation of a TIF district, and they ensure that the funds generated from TIF are used in areas truly in need of redevelopment.

A city is not free to slap the TIF label on any property it wants, and what constitutes blight is specifically defined in the TIF statute.

If an area does not meet the definition of blight under the statute, the city will not be able to create a TIF district there.”

These are the normal acceptable criteria for TIF projects. Why does Port

Washington keep using TIF for private development of highly profitable ventures in prime real estate areas?

Enough is enough,  These TIF districts are coming out of our tax dollars indirectly.

Next time you see TIF being requested for a project that does not meet the well accepted criteria, voice your objection in no uncertain terms.

Roger Bayford
Port Washington