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Make All the City a TIF District

Don Van Hulzen

Iowa City Press-Citizen

September 28, 2006

[Note: This material is copyright by the Press-Citizen, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of the Iowa City Press-Citizen.]

We should all rally behind a TIF district for the Hieronymus Square development. In fact, all of Iowa City should be declared an economic development zone. All homeowners, landlords and businesses should have the right to request a suspension of their property taxes for a few years.

The money saved on taxes could be used to add an addition, paint the place, fix the plumbing, remodel the kitchen and bathroom or whatever would add value to the property. That way Iowa City property values would increase along with the tax base. This would get national attention and probably would attract new businesses from across the country.

I say, if it’s good enough for Hieronymus, its good enough for you and me. Let Coralville and the rest of Johnson County finance schools and public services. We will do our part sometime in the future, probably.

Don Van Hulzen
Iowa City