The City Is In A TIF
The City of Manhattan held a public hearing on a proposal by Plaza Manhattan,
LLC for two TIF District on Manhattan's east side. Owners
came out of the woodwork to be heard, but they weren't.
The Commissioners passed the request by a 5-0 vote.
The same organization asked for a Third Street TIF District last summer
by the Riley County Commission voted it down. This request will go
before the same County Commissioner again and also Pottawatomie County
Commission and USD 383.
Bernie Butler part owner of the Pizza Hut on north third street told
the Commission: "We opposed the TIF for a number of reasons the last
time around. We don't think it is right to use taxpayers money to build
retail business and we certainly don't think it's right for a handful of
people to make decisions concerning other people's land and taxes without
taking it to a vote of the public."
Butler went on to say: "In dealing with TIF, the City Commission, while
appearing to deal in good faith, has shown utter disregard for
people's property, both commercial and residential. We believe it is
wrong to use tax increment financing or taxpayers money to forcibly take
privately owned property and give it to a non-Manhattan resident for
the development of retail business."
Butler said: "We ask that the development of the 3rd Street corridor
be done the way that all other businesses on 3rd Street as well as
everyone else in town has done - and that is the "old fashioned" way
between willing buyers and sellers using conventional financing, rather
than through subsidy schemes that use governmental authority to subvert
private property rights."
"I don't really want to pay additional taxes, particularly taxes that
would finance a development that could encourage competition that would
threaten my business and devalue my real estate."