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SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 30, 2013 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: Well my suggestion and I am glad that you said that and I am <br />glad that we share the same thoughts. A suggestion that as of right now we probably look at <br />maybe a person’s personal income level and base it upon a percentage rather than what is <br />nd <br />obviously out there right now. Because I do have a number of residents in the 2 District <br />including seniors who are on a fixed income who have no way possible the funds to participate <br />in such a program. And in some of those areas that they are in are the areas that have decayed, in <br />some way, shape or form, the infrastructure, and so how do they get back to that level of looking <br />for that investment from the City but also from people who might want to move into the area and <br />that being a barrier. The corridor project, how are we going to graduate this corridor project? I <br />am very concerned about the corridors. We have shared this conversation in the past and in the <br />interest of Smart Streets, the two corridors are very Smart Streets, alright they bring in traffic all <br />day and every day, they are main arteries and in some ways they have been neglected at the very <br />high level and I am almost really torn between the two because one is obviously, both of them <br />ndnd <br />are in the 2 District alright, and I would never want one side of the 2 District against the other <br />nd <br />side of the 2 District, that is counterproductive. But what I am looking for is a happy medium <br />with residents that are on Lincoln Way Corridor and also the Western Avenue Corridor that they <br />can feel proud that their city is investing in that area; as well as they are interested in investing <br />downtown. It makes no sense to a resident living at one way and the other way and the <br />investment is not there. So are we going to look into investing at a higher level in the corridor <br />program? <br />Mayor Buttigieg: Yes, we certainly hear that message in the most recent revisions to the budget <br />speak to that concern to assure that this as you said is a comprehensive smart streets model <br />Downtown of course benefits when Lincoln Way West is improved because that is the first <br />impression for so many people in our city. And I would also suggest that folks throughout the <br />city including on Lincoln Way West and Western benefit downtown and that economic <br />development creates more jobs for downtown. The budget we have now proposed includes <br />$2.25 million to address the needs of corridors and neighborhoods and that is an area that is <br />candidly will continue to need work even beyond that $2.25 million dollars that I will be <br />proposing in partnership with the neighbors and those folks affected will be able to provide input <br />as that program is funded. <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: Can TIF action be a supplement as well for those areas? If so, <br />how can we do it? <br />Mayor Buttigieg: One thing that the administration is open to is expanding TIF areas so that <br />they can better allows us to employ some of those different resources because it is beneficial for <br />the whole city to have work done there. And that is something else with program that they are <br />proposes to fund now for next year in the budget there will be an opportunity to develop a plan <br />that has the right level of input that will also guide priorities and decide how that TIF expansion <br />should unfold. <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: How is that plan or how can that plan be developed is there a <br />time stamp? And to be all honest with you the last time we had this conversation was LaSalle <br />Square when we were promised I don’t know at least $2 million or $1.5 million or something <br />like that, it never came to fruition whatever we were promised. And, so are we looking at time <br />stamps to get some of these things done and I’m only advocating for these things and I’m going <br />nd <br />to be clearly honest because both of these big projects are happening in the 2 District and I’m <br />not going to be torn in half or be one side versus the other, I’m not doing that. I think both <br />deserve invest, equitable investment, so at what point do we begin the planning process? <br />Mayor Buttigieg: As soon as possible in fact preliminary conversations already taking shape to <br />be sure that those who are in the area are able to have their input into how this should work. I <br />regret that I am not in the position to comment on detail on the LaSalle Square project, because it <br /> <br />