Having digested much of the information about TIF from the
very good Strib series and the comments on this list, I have
a few thoughts and questions.
It seems to me that the Chaska and other outer TIF
developments have mitigated the argument that the urban core
needs TIF to balance the suburban development threat. It
looks like to me like everybody is using TIF for everything.
If there really is disparity in the urban core, then perhaps
a different financial vehicle needs to be developed for that
area where the "but for" is defined more closely.
If there is such a huge need for a grocery store in downtown
Minneapolis, why didn't we negotiate Target doing one of
it's new grocery concept stores as a part of this
development. For the price we are paying, we certainly
should have been able to get that too.
I have to agree with R.T. and Lisa that the
MCDA/Planning/NRP structure needs some modification.
However, Lisa is proposing in her op-ed a model very similar
to St. Paul PED and yet they have abused TIF and have not
responded to the neighborhoods very well of late. I would
be interested in hearing from both R.T. and Lisa how their
re-tooling of the development and planning structure in
Minneapolis would be different and/or better. How would it
preserve the character of the city and attract development
without selling out the farm? How would it be responsive to
the citizens of Minneapolis and create a greater vision?
I was disappointed in the Strib editorial today. They seem
to want to paint those of us who have opposed these huge out
of control subsidies has haters of TIF. Unfortunately, they
have only seen the extremist view. Perhaps as I was
surprised to read today that Carol doesn't particularly care
for TIF, she might be surprised to see that I think there
are actually some good uses for it under the right
circumstances. Perhaps a discussion on improving the TIF
vehicle might be a good discussion on this list.
What I think was missing from this discussion is "corporate
responsibility." I hear over and over that corporations
can't make it today if they aren't more responsible civic
citizens - yet taking millions in subsidies seems to be
contrary to that position. Perhaps our newspaper of the
Twin Cities and our politicians would serve us better if
they spent more time calling for greater corporate
responsibility - not just in programs - but in how they do
their developments too.
Russ Peterson
former Standishite
St. Michael
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