BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
The Mahomet Public Library Board voted unanimously Monday night to support the 12-year East Mahomet TIF extension.
In order for a TIF district to be extended beyond its initial 23-year life, all taxing bodies must agree to the extension, and it must be approved by the State Legislature.
The vote for support came on the back of a request from the Village due to the introduction of legislation by Senator Chapin Rose and Representative Dan Caulkins in February.
An extension of the East Mahomet TIF district was first discussed among Village trustees and Mahomet-Seymour School board members in September, 2019.
The East Mahomet TIF district, which was established in 2000, is set up differently than a traditional TIF district where 100-percent of the increase in property values are captured to build infrastructure that encourages additional growth; instead 100-percent of residential property tax continues to flow through to all the taxing bodies while 50-percent of the commercial property tax revenue flows through to the taxing body and the other 50-percent is captured in the TIF fund.
The Village of Mahomet wants to extend the TIF another 12 years and renegotiate a 2011 Intergovernmental Agreement, which requires the district to build a road, with the Mahomet-Seymour School District.
Mahomet Public Library Director John Howard said that while he is not always in favor of TIF districts, he supports the extension of this TIF because of the flow-through.
“The thing with this that makes it a lot easier to support is that 100-percent pass through off property tax and increases on residential properties, which is extremely unusual for a TIF,” Howard said.
“The key thing that I keep thinking of is if a TIF district causes more development and we don’t get the money from that, but we have to serve the additional people, then that’s a problem.”
Because of the flow-through, the East Mahomet TIF does not bear the financial burden that the Downtown TIF, which was passed in 2019, might. The Downtown TIF district does not distribute flow-through to the taxing bodies. The Downtown TIF was not discussed at Monday’s meeting.
Howard said that because the library serves the residents on a day-to-day basis, and it still captures the residential tax, it makes sense to support it from the library’s perspective.
Howard provided the library board with two graphics, showing the growth within the East Mahomet TIF from 2000-2020.
Annual TIF reports to the Illinois Comptroller’s Office show that the East Mahomet TIF has seen $ 25,127,660 million in growth within its 20 years.
“The TIF paid for the expansion of (Rt.) 150 in front of the library, and the stoplight at the intersection at Churchill Road,” Howard said.
Howard said that in discussions with the Village, he’s learned that there is more growth to come with the TIF extension.
The Village hopes to build a new railroad crossing with the TIF money it currently has and is asking the Mahomet-Seymour School District to allow a road to run through its property to connect the crossing to Churchill on the east side of Middletown Prairie Elementary.
According to the Village, the new road, along with water and sewer extensions, will allow for residential and commercial growth to the south and east of the school district’s property.
Howard said that it is believed that with the road extension and its eventual connection with Prairieview Road, the corner where Prairieview and South Mahomet Road meets is the “perfect place for a residential neighborhood.
“I would not be surprised at all to see a significant burgeoning of residential development in that particular area, which if it happens, right from the beginning, (the library) gets those additional property taxes,” Howard said.
“I’d be surprised if this whole area back behind the school doesn’t end up being residential.”
Howard reported that while the Village has not said exactly what might be coming to the East Mahomet TIF area, the graphic they provide shows what is zoned commercial and residential.
“The big commercial things are still out just past Prairieview Road across from Farm Credit.
“If they have money after they take care of the South Mahomet Road thing, they are thinking about putting another light outside of McDonald’s.
“If that were to happen, that would make the other side of the street from McDonald’s very attractive for retail, in particular fast food.
“They’ve actually had a couple of businesses that have talked to them that aren’t ready to go because the infrastructure is not quite there, and the company doesn’t want to pay for that infrastructure.
“But if the TIF can make that into a little bit more manageable intersection, they think that they’ll have commercial property go in there pretty quickly.”
Howard reiterated that all of these are projections, although the Village has had conversations with developers.
Mahomet Public Library Board President Chris Moore and Howard were appreciative to the Village of Mahomet for being available to answer all their questions.
Other Library News
-The annual Murder Mystery Fundraiser hosted at Farm Credit on Feb. 15 is sold out.
-Total circulation at the Mahomet Public Library was up 8-percent in Jan. 2020 over the previous year.
-Brenda Farney, Kathy Parker and Diane Loyet are helping Mahomet residents prepare their taxes through the AARP program.
-Board members praised Director Howard for his ongoing commitment to the library’s strategic plan, and commended him for continuing to build connections throughout the community.
-Mahomet Public Library employee Tammy Caputo said that she has heard throughout the community, not just within the library, that patrons are appreciative of the programs and services offered. She said she feels a new “energy” around the library.
-Howard commended the library staff, saying that they were diverse in their talents and served patrons’ needs.
