Hidden Star Line TIF Maps
March 21st, 2009 | by Tim Costin Published in Blog, Eminent Domain, TIF Property Taxes | 5 Comments
The Village of Schaumburg is proposing a $119.5 million tax for the Star Line/ T.O.D. tax increment financing (TIF) district north of the Jane Adams expressway. For $119.5 million, the taxpayer is entitled to a map showing the buildings, roads, parking lots, train stations or other structures that are planned to be demolished or constructed using taxpayer money. Despite the fact that this project supposedly centers around a train station, not even the train station or rail line are show on the published Star Line/ T.O.D. maps!
The Village had maps of the proposed demolition and construction of buildings and roads, but they chose to leave them out of the public documents for the Star Line/ T.O.D. Plan. Why? It took another Freedom of Information Act request to get these maps. What is it that the Village did not want you to see? Are they going to use tax dollars to demolish Woodfield Green just to build more office buildings? Is this TIF a sneaky way to finance a new Performing Arts Center and a new Ballroom for the Convention Center? Where is the train station located and why is it necessary to demolish the Fieldpointe apartment complex? Please go the Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 24 to demand the public have a map that reflects what the taxpayer is getting for $119,500,000.
Below are the Star Line/ T.O.D. maps of the TIF district that were concealed by the Village. I asked the Village to identify which one most accurately reflects the $119,500,000 tax expenditures but they refused, saying I already had it. My guess is that it is the first map below.
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April 18th, 2009 at 9:59 PM (#)
Wow these people are out of control.
Do people visit this website?
Nobody seems to comment and I found it randomly.
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Brian Costin Reply:
April 19th, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Darnel-
Yes, the Village board is out of control and we need the help of citizens like you to put an end to it.
We get between 700-1400 hits per week on this site with about 300-400 unique viewers per week. Not yet enough to turn the tide, but it is a start for a website less than 6 months old.
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September 3rd, 2009 at 9:25 AM (#)
my mother works at the Renaissance schaumburg Marriot & convention center they want to get the union in but the hotel tells them that the mayor would never allow that. that he is against the working class. stay on this jerk
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September 29th, 2009 at 12:06 PM (#)
hey Brian
My mother was marching at the convention center with the union that is trying to represent them they are on strike against the hotel. she said that the hotel had the police remove them from the property. the way i found this site was because i was searching to see what i beleive that this hotel is public property not private. so they should have the right to protest in public property right? i heard through the grapevine that Marriott is going to give mayor larson a job there when he retires as a mayor so he can earn over 100k. its too bad these corporations are in the politicians pockets.
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Brian Costin Reply:
September 29th, 2009 at 12:20 PM
The property is owned by the Village of Schaumburg and not the Renaissance Corporation. The Renaissance Corporation just manages the property. As long as you don’t interfere with the use of the property there should be plenty of places that you can legally protest as it is public property. I would work with the Schaumburg Police to find out where the best place is to protest/demonstrate. Perhaps along the Meacham Road entrance would be best. But be sure to point out it is public property and not private property.
As for unionization of the hotel and convention center I am neither in favor or against unionization. As long as the workers have the freedom to unionize and the village has the freedom to negotiate either with a union or individual employees it is fine with me. My main concern is that the Convention Center & Hotel costs Schaumburg taxpayers $15.7 Million per year and growing. As long as the Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center is privatized, sold and taxpayers are off the hook, labor negotiations are best left to the marketplace to work out.
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