TIF2 has never been about “economic development” – it was a way to build a new village hall without asking the taxpayers!
The village has spent a lot of your money to incorrectly tell you that your taxes will not increase.
A new village hall is the largest capital expenditure the Village has contemplated but they want to build it with tax revenue that does not belong to them in total disregard of the taxpayers’ wishes. By creating a TIF2 the Village can bypass the voters and siphon off $22 million from all taxing bodies over 23 years. There would be NO “excessive costs” (no legal fees, no consulting fees, no accounting fees, no public relation fees, etc.) had the Village simply put the decision in the hands of the taxpayer where it belongs.
The Village has wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars ($136,000 on a PR firm over 14 months alone) and hundreds of hours of staff time instead of asking you, the taxpayer, if we even NEED a new village hall.
If the Village takes $22 million of tax revenue from all taxing bodies, it means HIGHER TAXES:
- Higher property taxes annually from increased levies
- Referendums needed to replace lost tax revenue to TIF2
If the Village proceeds with TIF2, School Districts 34 and 94 do NOT “benefit” financially. In total they will LOSE $16 million in tax revenue. The School Districts filed suit to prevent the Village from funding a new village hall with their tax revenue – NOT so “crazy” and VERY understandable!
There would be NO lawsuit, NO wasted funds had the Village instead asked the taxpayers if they WANTED a new village hall.
Why should all the taxpayers in School District 94 who are OUTSIDE of Winfield be paying for a village hall IN Winfield??? The answer is they should NOT have to pay for OUR village hall!!!
Town center will NOT “stagnate” without TIF2 as 85% of the development is complete and the other 15% may never happen.
There is and will be sufficient money in TIF1 for any “economic incentives”- NO need for TIF2.
Any resident can submit a FOIA request to the Village for all expenses related to TIF2 since 2018 to find out the staggering amount of our money SQUANDERED on this project.
Some items from the $136,000 PR (public relations) firm’s bills that we are paying for:
- Review and report on resident letters
- Watch and take notes on D34 board meeting
- Strategy planning
EVERY trustee of the current Village Board has approved and voted for all this wasteful spending, ignoring the interests of the residents-having no intention of putting this issue in the hands of the taxpayers. The trustees claim to represent the residents, but, since a majority of the voters already said NO to a new village hall in 2020, just who DO they represent? Village hall belongs to all of us not just a few with a particular agenda and those who DO NOT REPRESENT should be held to account. FIDUCIARY DUTY is a fundamental lesson that all board members need to remember.
Your vote DOES count and should matter to all of us!
