Supporters of tax increment financing districts (TIFS) are disputing a Ball State University Study which says they cost local governments more than $300 million annually and don’t really deliver results.
A TIF district captures the tax revenue from a particular area and those funds are used to cover development costs of a particular project. Local governments tend to use them to generate economic activity.
BSU Economics professor Mike Hicks says TIFs really don’t generate economic development and take money away from schools and other local governments for badly needed services.
However TIF supporters, like Katie Culp of KSM Location Advisors says TIFs are very valuable tools.
You can hear from both Hicks and Culp in the Leon-Tailored Audio above. Each segment runs about 12 minutes.
Photo: FW Weekly
