Letter to the Editor: Jasper Cabinet, TIF, & Transparency

ByFree Press Staff Reading Time: 3 minutes

News of a possible development project utilizing the Jasper Cabinet building is great for the city of Jasper. I am in support of aggressive economic incentives to help turn an eyesore into a useful development. However, I would urge the city of Jasper and the Redevelopment Commission (RDC) to provide the public with the complete details, facts and financials of the proposed deal with the developer prior to the vote by the City Council.

Proposed, large-scale projects within our community have recently come with controversy and complete transparency can help minimize it. Citizens need time to fully understand the proposal to allow them to voice their opinion to their elected officials.

The use of TIF and the proposed size of the TIF district differ from the messages previously given by the consultant contracted by the city (Ed Curtain, CWC Latitudes LLC) and who represents the unnamed developer.

  • Aug. 4, 2014 The Dubois County Free Press reported, “Thirteen areas in the City of Jasper have been identified as potential locations to create tax incremental financing districts to fund future improvement.”  “The 13 TIF districts initially identified by the city and Curtin are located in several areas.”
  • On December 2, 2014 the City of Jasper released a Q&A on the proposed TIF which stated in response to the question of:  Why begin with such a large TIF? “You must include enough land/development so that you get adequate incremental financing to accomplish the goals. If you draw the area too small, and/or only around areas that are already heavily developed, you’re not going to get any increment financing and therefore the tool would be ineffective.”
  • Aug. 4, 2015 The Dubois County Free Press reported, “Although the property is already part of the large tax-increment finance district created in March of this year, the developer is interested in protecting the tax-increment of the property development. According to Curtin, the developer would like to use the tax-increment captured to pay back any economic development or construction bonds they float to complete the project.  Additionally, Curtin explained that creating the separate TIF district protects the captured increment in the larger district from going to the developer’s project.”
  • On December 2, 2014 the City of Jasper released a Q&A on the proposed TIF which stated in response to the question of:  What is the relationship, if any, between creation of the TIF and the City’s Redevelopment expert? “Mr. Curtin is a hired redevelopment expert and that is his only interest in the project. He doesn’t have an investment interest at all in the creation of the TIF or in any property within the TIF.”
  • Aug. 4, 2015 The Dubois County Herald reported, “Ed Curtain [sic], who represented the unnamed developer, asked the Jasper Redevelopment Commission (RDC) this morning to start the process of establishing that property as its own tax-increment financing district.”

Progress is a great thing, but it shouldn’t be something that is forced on the people. Provide the citizens with objective facts and let them voice their opinion before proceeding.

Adam Auffart
Jasper Resident

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