Raiding TIF

Spending TIF funds to construct municipal buildings generating no new tax revenue is contrary to the purpose and intent of the TIF law.

In 1999, the Illinois legislature enacted an amendment to the TIF law to end this abusive practice.

Section 11‑74.4‑3 (q)(4) of the TIF law says that:

... on and after November 1, 1999, redevelopment project costs shall not include the cost of constructing a new municipal public building principally used to provide offices, storage space, or conference facilities or vehicle storage, maintenance, or repair for administrative, public safety, or public works personnel....

There are some limited exceptions which would permit a municipal building to be built with TIF funds, such as when it is part of a redevelopment plan adopted before 1999, or when it is replacing a municipal building that must be demolished as part of the redevelopment plan.

The exceptions do not seem to apply with the City's current plans.

Full text of the TIF law

Transcript of debate on the 1999 Amendment to the TIF law in the Illinois House of Representatives.

The discussion on TIF starts at page 239, including definitions for "blight."

Discussion about spending TIF money for municipal buildings starts at page 249. Read as the sponsoring legislators call this practice an "abuse" of TIF.

Morris Daily Herald Article published September 5, 2007

Abuse of the public trust

The city is about to spend $12 Million on a new city hall, using TIF money.

TIF funds consist largely of taxes diverted from schools. Eveyone's taxes must go up to cover the difference. What's more, TIF money is not supposed to be used to build new municipal buildings on prime real estate. It is intended to revitalize blighted areas. The theory being that the redeveloped property will produce more property taxes than were lost by the schools in the first instance. The municipal building will generate no property taxes and no sales taxes.

City officials know full well that they are misusing TIF. They also know that there is no penalty for doing so, except at the ballot box.


For a good summary of how TIF works, and its potential abuses, see the Citizen Advocacy Center website

Shugart and Cook on boundary line agreement

Morris alderman Martha Shugart and Channahon village president Joe Cook will be on WCSJ this morning, Tuesday August 21, at 9:10 a.m., to discuss the proposed boundary line agreement between Morris and Channahon.

Shugart has skillfully negotiated a proposed boundary line agreement which would give Morris two of the four corners of the Brisbin Road interchange. Additionally, Channahon would de-annex almost 300 acres to Morris. If the agreement is approved, Morris stands to receive substantial property tax and sales tax benefits from economic activity at the interchange. Morris mayor Dick Kopczick opposes the plan.

Police contract

Morris police continue to work without a contract. The mayor has no problem spending $9,000,0000 to $13,000,000 on an extravagant new city hall. He has no problem spending $257,000 on the city attorney. And he has no problem "donating" tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to private organizations. Why can't the city find the resources to settle the police contract on fair terms?

More trouble for Senreq

Records at the Cook County Recorder of Deeds office show that Senreq has recently acquired another tax lien. This time for allegedly failing to pay state tax obligations.

Dissolution notices have also been recorded against several of the many Senreq entities.

Cook County Recorder

Follow lawsuits against Senreq at the Cook County Circuit Clerk website

This man claims to be "Operations Manager" for Senreq's Morris facility

District 54 Cost Savings

Jeanne Milsap has penned an informative and well-written report on cost saving measures suggested by the Citizens Finance Committee. The article includes the supporting analysis for the recommendations, and omits the personal opinions of the author.

Some of the recommendations, such as not replacing the nurse's aid and social worker, fall into the no-brainer category and should be adopted by the District 54 board. The other recommendations also merit serious consideration. $14,000 per year in health insurance benefits seems excessive given the financial condition of the district, and compared to the $4,000 spent by the Saratoga school district.

Controlling costs and living within your means requires setting priorities and making difficult and sometimes unpopular choices. That is what taxpayers have to do. We should expect no less from the school board.

I suspect the tone and content of the article would have been very different had it been written by Mike Farrell.


Look up teachers salaries