The Southside is being redeveloped at the expense of those who already have businesses and homes on the southside. You would think Fort Wayne's City Leaders would do more to support homeowners and current businesses owner on the southside.
Of course there are a few and I do mean few businesses that the city can hold up as helping. But those businesses put little back into the community, they feel deserving because they are on the southside.
There are many businesses on the southside that should be celebrated and highlighted that many residents probably don't know even know these businesses exist. Instead, the city's leaders are holding up drafts of drawings of future field of dreams. Well I would like to know where in the H--- are the suckers!!!
In the meantime, here is the list of homes that have fallen into tax default, simply because the auditor office has sped up the process of taking homes. I say forget about eminent domain, when you have dopey looking smiling creatures give out wrong information that could cause a homeowner to lose their home by defaulting on taxes.
Let's see if the auditor office has the great Southtown Centre Mall, and all that great development listed as a TIF District, like it does the great downtown. What do you think the answer is?
Tax Incremental Financing or TIF Districts are created by the Redevlopment Commission to earmark a portion of the property taxes collected in that district for specific inprovement projects (such as sewers, road repair etc.). A TIF district can be as small as one parcel or as large as several miles.
In case you are wondering why wouldn't the city want the SouthTown Centre Mall to be a TIF?
Municipal bonds are then issued to finance the public improvements. The bonds payable from TIF may be used to finance the cost of redevelopment and the construction of public improvement in the redevelopment area or for projects that directly serve or benefit that area. Once the bonds have been paid off, the taxes collected from the allocated area are distributed to the remaining taxing districts.
If you improve the area than you can't call it a blighted area to take property for eminent domain for business development, can you spell SYNERGY. Or what about the residents spending dollars under CREeD-Community Revitalization Enhancement District, wouldn't you want to maximize shoppers spending with programs in order to
capture funds from the increase in sales and income taxes for improvement in the area?
And what about the developers who bring their own private dollars to invest in the area? Instead the city government tells the developers that their developments will promote more criminal activity. This totally defeats the state purpose in trying to encourage development or redevelopment of property in these districts with income tax credit.
I guess it's the small things that southsiders should appreciate.. like looking at the glass as half-full rather than half-empty. How many more days before the election?
Do you drink when you type? If not, maybe you should consider it. However, I have found your musings become easier to read if I drink.
ReplyDeleteI know its take a lot to understand some of the concepts, but keep reading, understanding will come later.
ReplyDeleteI get the concept, it would just seem so much more relevant and professional if a command of the English language were attempted.
ReplyDeleteThis is MY blog..and not professional writing.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteI know (as a southside resident for NINE long years) that I don't appreciate my property "appreciating" when I keep getting told that my area is "distressed" and "blighted" (mayor's own words).
ReplyDeleteThis part of Ft. Wayne has been targeted for revitalization (seemingly for ages)...and that means (to me anyway) that ANY business that chooses to build here will get a tax ABATEMENT (from what I've read).
Now the question I HAVE to ask is:
"Where exactly is MY incentive to remain here...where is MY abatement"?
When I see NO discernable decrease in crime, no homes being renovated for home OWNERSHIP, and no progress in general to overhaul the status quo (which has been in place for these nine years), one seriously has to ask "Is it all worth it"?
I'm asked time and again "Why don't you just MOVE then"? And I reply...because we're the "good" guys...we pay taxes, keep our property well maintained, shop down here whenever we can at what stores are here, and OWN the house...isn't THAT what "southside" pride should be about?
SO WHY do OUR taxes go up, with my house assessed at more than any other place in the immediate area? Because we CARE?
That's hardly reason to single out those that work to keep what they have, while many more get a free ride (I'm talking taxes here) at our expense.
Maybe that's why we're looking to move (unfortunately)..outside the city (to join our neighbors that have also moved)...better to pay the COUNTY for what they manage to DO, than the city for what they promise and never deliver on.
Sorry, not enough small things for this southsider to appreciate these days.
B.G.
(glass 1/2 empty here)
Bob G - The reason for the "appreciation" of your property was due to tax restructuring by THE COUNTY. For most of the last nine years of your residency there, you got off easy because your home was under-valued due to age and other considerations.
ReplyDeleteI lived southeast from 1970-2005, and actually saw my property taxes decrease three times, including during the recent reassessments. My home was newer (1969) so it's value was more fairly stated over the years.
As for the rest of your issues, I understand your frustrations. . .I spent most of my life there. The city can't control everything that we'd like it to; and my concerns were addressed roughly 80% of the time. Granted, I was an association prez, and my home was on the fringe of the area, unlike your locale.
I busted my butt trying to involve residents of my addition to get involved, but rarely got new people to become involved. I saw the same people (God bless 'em!) show up for meetings and events over and over again. My respect for them is enormous.
But we were unable to fight "rolling boomboxes" cruising down our streets, lack of parental involvement in schools, etc. These issues are, understandably, not the top priority of the FWPD. When I called them on crime issues, they responded immediately. Again, this may be an issue of title and/or location, I have read your reports of non-attention to drug houses, and other reported crimes.
I wound up leaving because I was unable to create change fast enough for my children. I would still be there fighting for the south side otherwise.
The great majority of southsiders ARE decent and respectable people who care about their property and their community; but there are enough "bad apples" present in a large enough geographic area that makes it impossible for FWPD alone to solve everyone's problems.
I'm proud to have grown up southeast. It was my childhood home and my choice to live there til the age of 41. I'm excited to see the new developments at Southtown, and visit the new stores as well as K-Mart (God bless them for standing tall) regularly.
Alot of positive things are happening southeast, even in your part of it. If your family situation allows you to stay and experience the rebirth that has been sewn there, I know you'll appreciate the rewards. . .