By Ed Lowe
Senior Writer
The City Council Committee on Finance will hold a hearing in City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., at 10 a.m. this Friday to discuss the ramifications of the proposed Special Service Area (SSA) dealing with Lincoln Ave. between Webster St. and Diversey Ave. They will consider the creation of this special tax district.
According to the formal notice sent to property owners affected by the proposal, "any interested person affected by the creation of the Area and the levy of the Services tax may file with the City Clerk written objections to and may be heard orally with respect to any issues embodied within this notice." An estimated 260 parcels of property are involved in the proposal.
What does this legalese mean? It means that property owners who might object to the imposition of additional taxes on their homes that front Lincoln Ave. within this district, as well as renters who live in the area and whose rents might also be impacted by the increased taxes, are entitled to be heard. To date, according to Kim Klausmeier, the executive director of the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC), the chamber "continues to reach out to property owners along the street." There has been no communications effort directed toward renters or other affected parties who do not own property.
The proposal provides for additional real estate taxes in order to achieve certain improvements designed to beautify the street. Specifically, of the total of $149,250 to be raised annually through the SSA, there would be sidewalk snow clearing and plowing, sidewalk and gutter litter removal, and some hanging flower baskets. Additional funds are provided for a parking feasibility study, for advertising and holiday decoration promotions, and for administrative fees. The latter three items comprise 34.7 percent of the entire budget.
Two meetings were conducted on the issue in June. Neither one was well attended and, according to Chuck Eastwood, spokesperson for Ald. Vi Daley (43rd), "The alderman was concerned by the lack of attendance and wondered whether adequate publicity was given for the meetings."
As stated above, the additional tax levy would raise $149,250, with the funds to be administered by the LPCC. This would amount to an increase of .266 percent of the equalized assessed valuation of all property in the district. That's a bit more than a quarter of one percent increase. On a property whose assessed equalized value would be $250,000, taxes would increase by an estimated $665 per year.
In order to protest the decision to raise these taxes for the benefit of business owners, a petition would have to be signed by at least 51 percent of the registered voters in the area AND by 51 percent of the property owners affected by the increase.
If the tax is enacted, according to a letter from LPCC, a local board of Commissioners made up of Lincoln Ave. owners and tenants will be appointed to oversee all programs and expenses.
Objections to these proposals have been voiced by some residents. According to opponents, there might be some benefit from the beautification efforts and the snow removal, but they question whether increasing tourism to already densely crowded areas of the neighborhood would be an effective use of tax money.
Anyone interested in either furthering the proposal or in voicing objections to it may attend Friday's meeting. |
