Chelan Mayor Bob Goedde and City Administrator Wade Farris have stated their case once again in favor of TIF, Tax Increment Financing. Appearing on KOZI Wednesday morning, it was announced that the City Council's vote to designate a tax increment area and approve an ordinance to fund it has been delayed to a special council meeting on May 24th. That will give the city time to have more talks with the junior taxing districts who have concerns about the plan to fund improvements to the water system in East Chelan, using property tax revenues meant for the districts. Mayor Goedde says the improvements TIF will fund will be worth the effort:
Farris says the project will solve a water problem that has been in the works for years:
And Farris says it's time to do it, and TIF is about the only way it can be funded:
The city is under a state-mandated deadline; they have to have an ordinance passed and a tax increment district designated by June, or will have to wait until next year to do it. Both Goedde and Farris ask you to go to the city's website to learn more about what TIF is and what the project entails; the website is cityofchelan.us.