...such was the question posed to me by a reader this afternoon. I couldn't answer for sure, so I did some looking. (Remember, I'm not a lawyer, I just like finding stuff out. My legal advice is purely unofficial; your mileage may vary.)
Yes, it appears citizens can refer a Tax Increment Finance district resolution by their city to a public vote. Folks in Aberdeen did it in 2007: after opponents got the issue on the ballot, voters turned out 2-1 in favor of a government handout for Northern Beef Packers.
But if you want to refer Madison's TIF to a public vote, you'd better hustle. The city commission passed the updated TIF resolution on May 19. SDCL 9-20-6 says you have twenty days after the publication of an ordinance to file petitions to refer it to a public vote. I haven't been tracking the Legals in the Madison Daily Leader as closely as I ought, but I would imagine it's been in there already.
Of course, this assumes any Madison residents are cheesed off enough about the TIF to go stirring up trouble with petitions and public conversation and voting. I make no such presumption. I'm just answering a reader's question....
I am new to the Madison area and wasn't quite sure what this TIF is so I started to ask around. From what I have read on here and have heard about, I don't think it's a good idea. Corey, you had the right idea about investing it in "restoring" the old homes that are already available in the city of Madison. There are TONS of affordable housing (ie $35,000). Granted, some of the lesser expensive homes aren't that great, but if they were given some of that TIF money to put towards renovating it, it could be a nice home for a couple or smaller family.
ReplyDeleteMy parents never owned a home and some of the lower priced houses listed are pretty similar to what I grew up in. My parents would rent, and then fix them up themselves (because the landlords were too cheap most of the time). We only moved 4 times while I was growing up, so the money and time they would put into it was worth it (plus dad told me they would get a discount on rent once in a while).
My family and I have purchased a home here and compared to the price we would have paid in Sioux Falls for something comparable, the prices here are a bargain.
With gas prices going the way they are, Madison needs to take advantage of people wanting to stay closer to home, and use this as an opportunity to grow.
Glad you could move here, pennyp, and find decent affordable housing. Funny you can move here and find plenty of affordable housing, while our city fathers who've lived here for years think we need government subsidies to create affordable housing.
ReplyDeleteWho is going to take out the petition to refer the $330,000 TIF expense to the Madison City voters because I'd like to sign it. If you know a name, please put it in your blog along with a phone number so I can call and get my name on it. Any idea how many signatures needed? A percentage of April 8th voters?
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, no one has started a petition drive yet. The question I got was just from a curious reader.
ReplyDeleteShould a drive to refer the TIF to a vote get going (and again, it would need to get going fast), it would require signatures from 5% of the registered voters in the city. As of April 8, there were 4,412 registered voters in Madison; 5% of that is 221. Of course, that number may have gone up since then, with the increase in registration in the run-up to the primary.
Oops! forgot to give the statute: see SDCL 9-20-8 for the rule on number of signers for a referendum petition.
ReplyDeleteI believe Huron was in dire need of jobs when the meat packing plant was approved, which is why the state allows TIFs. Not housing TIFs however, which is why it's so strange they allowed this project to be attached to Schaefers existing commerical property. Madison needs decent jobs while Brookings is turning employers away. You telling me none of those employers would be willing to come to Madison? Instead we need more houses, while people commute elsewhere for jobs? If Madison cared, why didn't at least a few people show up at the city commission meeting?
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