Does TIF divert money from schools?

No. On the contrary, TIFs can create money for schools.

First, schools continue to receive all the tax revenue they were entitled to before the creation of the TIF district.

Second, under most circumstances, a school’s state aid is greater when a school district overlaps a successful TIF district. The incremental growth in property values is excluded from the property tax base when the state calculates the amount of aid it should award to a school district. The “poorer” a school district, the more it stands to benefit from having a TIF district.

Orangeville — In 1991, Orangeville (pop. 451) was experiencing a general decline in property values. No new construction of residential or business properties had occurred in the area in more than 10 years. The local school district had a declining tax base, declining enrollments and increasing operating costs.

At that point, the Village of Orangeville established a TIF district, which to date, has produced an increase of more than $600,000 in property value. Local sales tax revenues increased by almost 17%. With 30 new home starts, the population of the village expanded by more than 50 citizens and the school enrollment by 25 students.

The increased enrollment in Orangeville’s school resulted in an additional $60,000 in state aid to the school district. Because enrollment had been declining prior to the TIF designation, the school district had no increase in building or operations costs due to the additional 25 students. As a result, the district was able to pay off its short-term debt and be removed from the State Board of Education’s Watch List of financially ailing school districts.

 

Third, the property tax revenue generated from private development attracted by a TIF designation is truly “new” money. Without TIF, development would not occur and the tax increment would not be produced. Not only would new tax money not be generated, but also the area itself would remain economically stagnant.

Critics of TIF argue that school districts are entitled to immediately receive a percentage of the TIF increment. However, it is the tax increment that pays for the improvements that attract private investment and stimulate economic growth. If the increment cannot be used for financing improvements and incentives, private investment and economic development will not occur, and no increment will be made available to any taxing bodies.

Fourth, when the TIF district expires, the tax increment that had been used by the municipality to pay off the redevelopment costs is returned to the tax rolls and available to schools and other local taxing bodies---even in areas where property tax “caps” have been adopted.

Fifth, from time to time a TIF district generates more incremental revenue than is needed to retire the TIF debt and pay redevelopment costs. That surplus is often distributed to the other taxing bodies, including schools.

Homewood — Over the past 5 years, Homewood’s TIF districts have generated more than $3.7 million in tax increment surplus. A total of $2.2 million of this surplus went to Homewood’s school districts. The funds were used by the schools to pay for building construction, technology projects, and operating expenses.

 

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