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Mounds View EDA August 25, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 4 that if the attorney general settled for that there was not what could be called abuse. 129 130 Council Member Quick asked Mr. Ericson what has been built with TIF in the City. 131 132 Community Development Director Ericson indicated the City benefited to a great extent from 133 using TIF as both business parks, a number of businesses within the park, infrastructure and the 134 Sysco build out. He then said that Sysco may not have located in the City if TIF had not been 135 available and Sysco is the City’s largest employer. He also indicated that TIF helped with the 136 expansion of the Mermaid. 137 138 Council Member Quick commented that all major development within this City has been done 139 utilizing TIF and the City used TIF as it was meant to be used. He then said that using the word 140 abuse is a slam and he feels that is inappropriate. 141 142 Council Member Stigney commented that once a property is in a TIF district the amount of the 143 tax is frozen. He then said that this City has 22% of its properties in TIF districts and that is in 144 excess of many other cities. He further commented that the amount of TIF money coming in 145 sounds like a lot but it is to be used within the TIF district or pool district and does not benefit 146 the City’s general fund. He also commented that there are indirect costs to the City because the 147 money does not go to the general tax base. 148 149 Mayor Linke commented that it does not take much to reach 22% when your City is only four 150 square miles. 151 152 Council Member Stigney indicated that parcels can be closed out as soon as they have met their 153 purpose. He then said that TIF can be useful but there are two sides of the coin and he wanted to 154 present the other side of TIF. 155 156 Community Development Director Ericson indicated that Mounds View is only four square miles 157 so it does not take much to reach the 25% figure. He then said that other cities percentages are 158 lower but they actually have more acreage in TIF districts. He then said that funds from the TIF 159 district are 100% captured by the City to be used for uses that are spelled out by the TIF laws 160 many of which benefit the whole City such as trailways, infrastructure, and aesthetic 161 improvements such as the Highway 10 landscaping, lighting, and trail. He further commented 162 that he feels it is a mischaracterization to say the money does not come to the City because while 163 it does not come to the general fund the funds are available to benefit the City on the whole. 164 165 Council Member Quick asked how many jobs were created in the community utilizing TIF funds. 166 167 Community Development Director Ericson indicated there were at least 1,000 jobs created, if not 168 more. 169 170