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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting -March 6, 2009 <br />6. NEW BUSINESS (CONT.) <br />D. Airport Economic Development Area <br />(1) Discussion of New Tech High School. <br />charged with redeveloping, buildings, areas, <br />and properties that need redevelopment. <br />New Tech High has the potential to <br />redevelop not only this building, but the <br />whole Western Ave. corridor. Secondly, at- <br />risk students may well be helped by this type <br />of education. Non-traditional students, <br />students who have not succeeded in <br />traditional classrooms. He cannot think of a <br />better use of redevelopment than this. <br />Also, Mr. Downes noted that opening a new <br />business always has risk. But in the large <br />scheme of things, this appears to be very low <br />risk. <br />Mr. Gibney pointed out that the City of South <br />Bend spends approximately 75% of its <br />budget on public safety (police and fire), <br />about 20% on public works. TIF dollars are <br />the only dollars that we have for our local <br />economic development stimulus package. <br />The Common Council wants to siphon off <br />more TIF dollars for public safety, etc. He <br />said we need to spend a much larger <br />percentage of city budgets, TIF budgets, on <br />education, job training and economic <br />development. <br />Ms. King noted that there are huge <br />challenges that this community is going to <br />have to meet if we are going to be a <br />sustainable, healthy community. Most of <br />that resides in what we do in educating our <br />youth, particularly the children that stay in <br />our community. This is the first time she has <br />26 <br />