Amending Chapter 2 Entitled Tax Abatement

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TOMM # n 14 part !!a toe Tnmmnn Tonnrti of t4f Tt#j of 00V44 Jornk: Your Committee Human Resources and Economic Development to whom was referred Bill No. 19 -80 - Tax Abatement Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion they request your favorable acceptance and ask that you set for public hearing on April 14 the amended version of the "tax abatement ", Bill No. 19 -80. The amended version is the product of the joint efforts of the Mayor; City Attorney, Rich Hill; Deputy Attorney, Jim Masters; South Bend Redevelopment staff, Carl Ellison and Ann Kolata; Council Attorney, Kathy Cekanski- Farrand; this Committee and its citizen members Marc Brammer and Christopher Davey. While this bill is seen primarily as a tool to provide incentive for econom- ic development it recognizes the need for and allows residential investment. The bill creates a standard procedure for filing tax abatement petitions and establishes specific criteria to be used in evaluating them. The "case by case" method of evaluation with referal to the Redevelopment Commission and the Area Plan Commission satisfies the State law requirement for investigation of petitions, while protecting the City's property tax base. The bill further allows the City a modicum of flexibility in deter - ming the nature and direction of its growth. As Committee Chairman, I sincerely thank the Administration for its coopera- tion with the Council in formulating a bill I feel is most certainly in the best interest of this community. Chairman John Voorde FREE PRESS PUBLISHING CO.