(Massena) At this week’s regular meeting, Massena Mayor Phil Przychodzin presented the City Council with an update on the future of Tax Increment Financing.
Earlier in the year, the City Council expressed concerns about how long the state would continue to allow Tax Increment Financing (T.I.F.), as the Iowa Legislature considered potential changes to the program.
This week, Mayor Przychodzin told the City Council that the City is on schedule to receive T.I.F. funds for the next 23 years. CAM City Councilman Doug Venteicher says this is good news.
The city’s T.I.F. funding comes from 32 wind turbines located within a two-mile radius of Massena, generating approximately $860,000 annually. These funds have allowed the city to pay off a $2 million loan for a new sewer lagoon mandated by the DNR and to make a variety of community improvements.
Projects made possible through T.I.F. funding include the installation of stormwater tubing throughout town, upgrades to Main Street, new street lighting, concrete parking areas, a new park shelter, and restrooms used by students during recess. The city has also improved the Ball field and recently completed an Iowa Prison Industries home on a formerly vacant lot. Additionally, the city has used the funds to improve low-income housing and community building.
The Mayor said these projects have made a tremendous difference throughout the community — but the work isn’t finished yet. He noted that the city still needs to build a new water treatment facility, estimated to cost between $3 million and $4 million. Additionally, the city aims to continue installing curb-and-gutter systems throughout the town.
State Senator Tom Shipley told the council in January that he often uses Massena as an example of how effectively T.I.F. funds can be utilized. He praised the community for the numerous positive projects completed through the program and noted that there is still more to be accomplished.
