At a special meeting on Tuesday, March 17th, the St. Joseph County
Council will hold a public hearing and final vote on bill 90-08, which
establishes responsible criteria for the granting of tax abatements in
the County.
We encourage all members and friends of the
Community Forum for Economic Development to attend the meeting on March
17th and, if possible, speak at the public hearing in support of bill
90-08. The Council meeting will be at 7 PM in the Council chambers on
the fourth floor of the County-City building, at Lafayette and
Jefferson Streets in downtown South Bend.
This bill was
originally scheduled for final consideration in October, but has been
postponed four times. There now has been sufficient time for all
concerned parties to be heard. In fact, Council member Mark
Catanzarite, the sponsor of the bill, has drawn up amendments to the
bill to take these concerns into account. There is now no reason to
further delay a final vote on the bill. And there is every reason for
the Council to pass this bill. It supports taxpayers who want to make
sure that their tax dollars are used responsibly. It encourages
businesses that treat their workers and our community well. And it
helps bring real benefits to St. Joseph County.
The regular
monthly meeting of the Community Forum is usually on the third Tuesday
of the month, which in March falls on the 17th. However, this month we
will instead be getting together at the Council meeting to support bill
90-08. We hope you can attend and bring your friends. See you on the
17th!