Commission reviews TIF revenue report and adopts annual resolution to retain increment (Resolution 2025 R1)

Consultants and staff presented a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) overview and annual capture report to the Columbia City Economic Development Commission on May 13, showing year-to-year increases in the downtown allocation and modest captures in the railroad corridor and the area off State Road 9.

The downtown allocation area recorded the largest increment capture in the latest year at roughly $61,000; the railroad corridor captured about $25,783 and the area off State Road 9 had minimal change. Overlapping taxing units affected by the captures include Whitley County Consolidated Schools (WCCS), Columbia City, Columbia Township, Whitley County and Peabody Public Library. Staff said the downtown reset completed in 2018 had helped increase captured increment in recent years.

Following the presentation, the commission considered an annual resolution to report and retain increment. By motion and second, the commission adopted Resolution 2025 R1, directing staff to send required notices to overlapping taxing districts and to continue using captured increment for planned downtown and remediation projects. The commission discussed using increment for the jail project and the South Chauncey Street project among other priorities.

Staff said online reporting and required in-person contacts with overlapping taxing units are part of TIF transparency and that the commission must include a non-voting school district representative on redevelopment commissions. Commissioners asked questions about the distribution of captures and affirmed the decision to keep the increment for ongoing projects.

Next steps: staff will circulate copies of the resolution and send required notices to overlapping taxing districts.