Mailbag: Mr. Connors Writes: Observer" Poll question is too simple"

(Ed.note. The following is a comment sent on the Observer Poll results last week. The numbers change every day on this poll. )

"I would say the issue is more complex than stated in the Observer's poll question. In my view, the issue is whether giving incentives to commercial development is needed to get additional commercial development to occur.

If one is talking about the area near the intersection with USH 14 and CTH M, I think it is quite clear that no public money needs to be invested to get additional commercial development to occur there, because commercial development already has occurred in that area without any public financial incentive. But there might be a specific commercial business we want to attract to Evansville, and in that case I think providing an incentive to that business would be appropriate. The draft project plan for Tax Incremental District No. 6 gives the city that flexibility.

If one is talking about whether redevelopment downtown that includes space for commercial businesses will occur without public financial assistance, I think redevelopment is unlikely to occur without such financial assistance, and therefore the Redevelopment Authority and city would be justified in giving the assistance.

Location makes a big difference in the answer to the question about whether to give financial assistance for commercial development.

Bill Connors
Evansville City Administrator

In response, the Observer would have you listen to the audio of the Economic Development last Monday. Mr. Berg gave a brief summary of the TIF projects to date---

In the very opening of the audio you can hear Mr. Berg say that any restriction on the use of TIF for commercial would be a "sore point" with the developers. It would be a deal breaker. The developers state that there has never been commercial development in past TIFs in Evansville so there is really nothing to compare the project across the Pig to. They do not want any restrictions on the use of TIF for this area. Thus----It may be "clear" to some that TIF for commercial is not appropriate, but it is not at all clear to the developers. That is what the debate is all about.

Furthermore, it was mentioned that in other cities there has been no such restriction on use of TIF for commercial and these are the folks that Evansville is competing with.

This is the debate in progress. If you have additional thoughts, the comment line is open.