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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br /> Regular Meeting—September 13, 2012 <br /> area, the effect of this destruction is a <br /> continuation of the reduction in taxable real <br /> estate for the city. We need these homes on <br /> the tax roll. Look at what is happening to <br /> South Bend's tax base. St. Matthews bought <br /> a whole block of houses and built a parking <br /> lot—no more taxes on that block. IUSB has <br /> bought up some of the nicest home in River <br /> Park and built parking lots. No more taxes <br /> on those blocks. St. Joseph High School got <br /> an extra block of property beyond the former <br /> hospital land and built a parking lot. No <br /> more taxes possible from that block. (And <br /> that land would have made a great place for <br /> condos looking over the city.) Memorial <br /> Hospital is covering over much of the <br /> entryway into the city with parking lots. No <br /> taxes on that land any more. I&M is <br /> planning to tear down houses in River Park. <br /> No more taxable income on that land. Mt. <br /> Carmel Missionary Baptist Church is buying <br /> up parts of the southeast side—no more <br /> possibility for developing taxable income <br /> properties on that land. The "airport <br /> expansion" removed more than 100 families, <br /> and while much of the land was outside the <br /> city, that taxable income was lost to the <br /> county and many of the families displace to <br /> New Carlisle, Mishawaka and the townships <br /> to the east. Are we so eager to lose <br /> population and tax base, that we can send <br /> another 40 families away and lose that <br /> taxable income too? And for what? An <br /> unnecessary, ugly waste of money. We will <br /> be spending money to reduce the city's <br /> income in the future. <br /> These and other reasons make this plan a <br /> monumental mistake for all of South Bend, <br /> not only a terribly destructive move against <br /> the south side of our city. <br /> 40 <br />