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Resident says court upheld Winfield TIF #2; village trustee calls for cooperation
Summary
At a March 13 special meeting, resident Curt Barrett told the Winfield School District 34 board that a DuPage County judge granted summary judgment finding TIF #2 lawful. Village Trustee Dan Janowick, who said he was not consulted on the village statement, urged revenue-sharing talks instead of finger-pointing.
Curt Barrett, a Winfield resident, told the Winfield School District 34 board on March 13 that DuPage County Circuit Court Judge Chapman had granted the Village of Winfield’s motion for summary judgment in litigation over Tax Increment Finance District (TIF) #2. ‘‘In sum, TIF 2 is legal,’’ Barrett said, summarizing the court’s decision and asserting the lawsuit had delayed economic development and cost taxpayers nearly $2 million.
Barrett recounted earlier rulings the districts had lost, saying the court previously rejected claims that state law barred creating a new TIF over parcels that had been in a prior TIF and that a separate attempt in 2024 to block TIF assistance for the Sweet Reserve Cafe and Bakery failed. He warned that, while the court ruled for the Village, the school districts could appeal to the Illinois Appellate Court, which ‘‘could drag out their lawsuit for another year.’’
Village Trustee Dan Janowick, speaking during the same public comment period, said he had not been consulted about the Village’s public statement regarding the ruling and asked the school board and community to focus on cooperative solutions. ‘‘I remain committed to creating a revenue sharing agreement that provides opportunity to all taxing bodies,’’ Janowick said.
Why it matters: Barrett and Janowick framed the ruling as pivotal to the Village’s plans for Town Center, which Barrett said will advance construction of a Village Hall and police station and steward a residential project that will bring 147 new units to the area. Barrett said the Town Center redevelopment would add eight new parcels to the tax rolls and help attract businesses, but he also said project costs are higher now after litigation-related delays. The board did not take any formal action related to the lawsuit at the meeting; public comment was recorded for the minutes.
