The city council can be so schizophrenic sometimes.
At Tuesday’s meeting, they first decided to keep taxing residents of the East Bluff Special Service District 18 cents per $100 equalized assessed value for another ten years to continue funding the East Bluff Neighborhood Housing Service, a controversial organization residents feel is ineffective and secretive. The vote was 9-1.
Then, just a couple of agenda items later, fourth district councilman Bill Spears made a motion “to begin discussions [with state legislators] on innovative ways to bring back the core of the inner city by giving incentives, such as tax breaks to homeowners and owned businesses.” After some discussion, that passed 9-1 also.
So they’re for talking about tax breaks with state reps, but not actually giving tax breaks to a distressed part of town when given the opportunity. Tell me that isn’t dysfunctional.
The East Bluff folks are fighting an urban war to reclaim their neighborhood and the current East Bluff Housing Service isn’t helping them. It is interesting to note that the residents who spoke to the Council on this issue had to go to At-Large Councilman Gary Sandberg to obtain floor time, instead of their district Councilman. I’m not sure who Tim Riggenbach is representing, but it doesn’t seem to be the 3rd district.
I plan to attend the meeting (meetings) to resolve issues, but I question how much will be resolved. A stacked board and a “facilitator” that has made their preference known tilts the balance scale. Citizens who see “no bid” contracts going to a board member as being illegal when public funds are used will be heard, but to what end? If that board members price was the lowest, it would still have been the lowest in a closed bid process. Citizens find it odd that the “for rent” sign in front of the house that was purchased and fixed up is for the company owned by that same board member and not the East Bluff Housing Service. Whether or not he is “charging” for management services, it is still free advertising for the company. Wonder which house he will rent first? By the way, are his real estate taxes caught up yet?
Creating rental property has never been the mission of the EBHS before. I will grant that it creates a needed cash flow and gives the organization the opportunity to demonstrate what being a good landlord vs. a “slum lord” looks like, but will it? Nothing indicates that will be the case.
The amount on my tax bill is not really large, but it is greater than the portion that goes to the Peoria Township. It is higher than the portion that goes to the Airport Authority. It also exceeds the bill for the Mass Transit District.
Conrad if you find out who Tim Riggenbach is representing ? Let us know ,whom and for what ?
Which bank made the loan to purchase the house?