The City of Mattoon is asking residents to show out and speak up at an upcoming public meeting about a proposed expansion of the ‘Midtown TIF’ district.
The meeting is set for Monday, June 16th at 6:00 p.m. inside Mattoon City Hall, located at 208 N. 19th Street. The city is considering an amendment to its existing Midtown Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment Plan, which would expand the boundaries of the current TIF area. A boundary map showing the proposed changes has been made available by the city and can be found at the bottom of this story.
If you’re not familiar with how a TIF district works, here’s a condensed version. When a TIF district is established, the property tax base in that area is essentially frozen at its current value. As properties in the district are improved or redeveloped and their values increase, the additional tax revenue generated is called the “tax increment.” The additional funds are reinvested back into the district to fund further redevelopment projects. The idea is to use future growth to pay for the improvements that make current projects possible in the first place.
The city was clear in their agenda; no redevelopment project has currently been pursued that would displace any residents living within the proposed project area. If that ever changed down the road, a housing impact study would be required by law before moving forward. Mattoon city officials have not expressed interest in this whatsoever at this time.
The public meeting is your opportunity to ask questions, share concerns, or offer input on the proposed plan. Everyone will have a chance to be heard. If you want to weigh in before the meeting or have questions in advance, you can contact Community Development and Planning Director Alexander Benishek at 217-235-0031 or by email at benisheka@mattoonillinois.org.
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