Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Shepley Repeats His Mantra on Condemning Vulcan Lakes TIF Properties
The Northwest Herald has a question and answer article on Tax Increment Financing districts by Julian Compton Monday
One answer had Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley saying that the three properties the city is trying to condemn in the Vulcan Lakes Tax Increment Financing District probably would have had to have been condemned even if they were not in the TIF district.
Here’s what was said about Shepley:
But, when I brought up that lack of access at the Vulcan Lakes TIF hearing, Mayor Shepley and the rest of the city council said not one wourd about that possibility.
That’s the first time I heard Shepley say
condemnation would not be used.
At the meeting with the prospective consultants this past fall, Shepley again repeated that condemnation would not be used in the Vulcan Lakes TIF project.
Earlier I posted on You-Tube a less than 30-second video of that promise and Shepley’s reference to the city council’s previous promise.
I got to thinking about it and concluded some might think I was taking Shepley’s words out of context, so McHenry County Blog posted more of the discussion, just in case anyone has questions.
The problem, besides the fact that Shepley promised at least twice not to use condemnation in the Vulcan Lakes TIF development, is that at the time of the promise you can hear above on You-Tube, the city council had already voted 6-0 (with Councilman Howie Christensen absent) in favor of filing the three condemnation suits against Vulcan—two months before!(And, yes, I think an exclamation point is justified.)
Maybe I am not the only one who sees a severe disconnect here. Over 40 people have viewed the original You-Tube posting and the new one—without any link from McHenry County Blog—has been seen by 14.
One answer had Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley saying that the three properties the city is trying to condemn in the Vulcan Lakes Tax Increment Financing District probably would have had to have been condemned even if they were not in the TIF district.
Here’s what was said about Shepley:
Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley said the city needed the property to allow access to Vulcan Lakes and probably would have condemned it regardless of whether a TIF district was created.Considering the deal cut between the City of Crystal Lake and Vulcan Materials did not include access from Route 14, maybe he is right.
But the city doesn’t plan to condemn property in the district again, Shepley said.
But, when I brought up that lack of access at the Vulcan Lakes TIF hearing, Mayor Shepley and the rest of the city council said not one wourd about that possibility.
That’s the first time I heard Shepley say
condemnation would not be used.At the meeting with the prospective consultants this past fall, Shepley again repeated that condemnation would not be used in the Vulcan Lakes TIF project.
Earlier I posted on You-Tube a less than 30-second video of that promise and Shepley’s reference to the city council’s previous promise.
I got to thinking about it and concluded some might think I was taking Shepley’s words out of context, so McHenry County Blog posted more of the discussion, just in case anyone has questions.
The problem, besides the fact that Shepley promised at least twice not to use condemnation in the Vulcan Lakes TIF development, is that at the time of the promise you can hear above on You-Tube, the city council had already voted 6-0 (with Councilman Howie Christensen absent) in favor of filing the three condemnation suits against Vulcan—two months before!(And, yes, I think an exclamation point is justified.)
Maybe I am not the only one who sees a severe disconnect here. Over 40 people have viewed the original You-Tube posting and the new one—without any link from McHenry County Blog—has been seen by 14.
Labels: Aaron Shepley, Tax Increment Financing District, TIF, Vulcan Lakes
