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Councilors press city to finish local TIF/SDA procedures after state changes; policy due by Oct. 16
Summary
Committee heard that the state will stop approving local TIF and SDA programs, requiring New Bedford to adopt local SOPs, applications and tracking; Ramon Silva and the solicitor's office said drafting is near completion but councilors demanded faster delivery and set an Oct. 16 follow-up.
Councilors were sharply focused on the city’s response to recent Commonwealth changes that end state oversight of local tax-increment financing (TIF) and special tax assessment (STA) programs. The clerk’s item requested an annual TIF report and an updated solicitor standard operating procedure to implement the state’s changes locally.
Ramon Silva told the committee the state "has stopped regulating and stopped approving local TIFs and SDAs," and that the city must put a municipal approval process in place, including local guidelines, an application, and a city database to track awards. Attorney Winters said the solicitor’s office is drafting policies, applications and contract language and has been meeting with assessors and the CFO to protect the city and align revenue projections. "I would say within a month or two," Attorney Winters said when asked about a completion timeline, but several councilors called that timeline insufficient and urged faster progress.
Councilor Joseph Lopes and others warned a prolonged delay would disadvantage New Bedford businesses seeking incentives, citing earlier examples of large investments that followed available TIF structures. The committee set a target to return the matter on Oct. 16 with policy documents in hand; members approved a motion to table pending solicitor completion and to report back on that date.
