(Spirit Lake)– Tax Increment Finance Districts were again a topic of discussion at Tuesday’s Dickinson county board of supervisors meeting.
The latest discussion was spurred by a stipulation the city of Milford put on a proposal to establish a TIF District in the West Sioux Estates area. It requires the county to take over jurisdiction and maintenance of a road in the subdivision. Under Iowa law, the city has the power to attach the stipulation since the subdivision lies within two miles of its boundaries. That once again has the county debating the pros and cons of TIF districts.
Earl Maahs, a Spirit Lake attorney, spoke out on behalf of allowing TIF districts, saying the county would stand to lose even more. He says subdivisions near cities would probably be annexed by those cities, while others would probably establish their own municipality. Supervisor Wayne Northey added that would go against the wishes of more and more people in the county who want government streamlined.
After further discussion, board chairman David Gottsche said he wants agreements from landowners that they’d be willing to give up the land that’s needed to bring roads in those areas up to county standards. And supervisor Mardi Allen wants to revisit the county’s road standards. With that, the discussion was continued to next week’s meeting.
