The Porter County Redevelopment Commission on Thursday put the brakes on the current proposal to create a tax increment finance area in Liberty Twp., surrounding Porter Regional Hospital on U.S. 6, while moving ahead on an alternative economic development plan at Porter County Regional Airport.
Commission president Ric Frataccia said that he had a meeting with County Commissioner President John Evans, R-North, who suggested that perhaps the better place for the County to launch a redevelopment area would be at the airport north of U.S. 30, near Ind. 49 in Washington Twp., near the Valparaiso city limits.
But first, the RDC would like to meet with the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission, as it has been suggested the VRC would like to annex property south of U.S. 30 across from the airport to expand the city’s current TIF area.
RDC member and County Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, D-At Large, said she has been concerned about the rumors and how it may “usurp” the County RDC. She and fellow RDC member and County Councilman Jim Polarek, R-4th, have been opponents of TIF areas, because they can divert tax revenues away from local units of government.
The proposed TIF area at the hospital has created a stir at recent County Council meetings as member Dan Whitten, D-At Large, has expressed concern that its implementation would take away the promised tax benefits of hospital as its 10-year tax abatement winds down.
Polarek said before the County takes its next step with the airport, it would need to hear Valparaiso’s annexation plan as TIF areas can last for 10 years or longer.
“We need to get an answer as to what their plans are,” Polarek said.
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