City of Morris looks to schoolchildren to pay for Community Landfill cleanup

The City of Morris has scheduled a public meeting for September 22, 2008 to consider an amendment to the Morris TIF District Redevelopment Plan.

The City is seeking to add five parcels to the TIF District, including the Community Landfill property. We can expect that the city will then use some or all of the $9,000,000+ that it has accumulated from TIF to pay for the cleanup of the Community Landfill.

Perhaps anticipating the public's disapproval, the Notice contains additional political commentary unnecessary to the purpose of the notice, making the patently false claim that "TIF DOES NOT raise property taxes"

The city's commentary goes on to explain that..."TIF is used merely to reallocate" increased property tax revenues..."

Indeed TIF reallocates tax revenues - taking the money from schools and other taxing bodies, and giving that money to the city. The tax revenue that would have otherwise gone to the schools must be made up - in the form of over $3,000,000 annually in higher property taxes for everyone.

Steffes forced out. Crony to be appointed chief?

There is job opening in city hall for Chief of Police. Tracey Steffes has resigned at the insistence of the mayor. It seems the former chief has fallen out of favor with Dick and Scott, probably over family matters which by now are pretty well known around town.

Who will be appointed to fill the position? The disturbing rumor is that the mayor wants to appoint Jeff Paulson. Paulson's credentials for the position range from minimal to questionable. Is this yet another case of punishing your enemies and rewarding your friends and political allies?

Mayoral appointment

It has been several weeks since the republican party nominated Darrell Brown to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of alderman Bob Elleson. There have been several city council meetings, but Mayor Kopczick still hasn't made the appointment. Why? Could it be Chicago-style partisan politics, like those criticized by Luella Kellogg and Mike Farrell?