I support spending of TIF-UD funds only on projects which directly promote the economic development of our industrial parks, with an emphasis on the under-developed Northern Cedar Falls Industrial Park.
Background: When the original Industrial Park Tax Increment Fund (TIF) districts were created, the purpose was to spur economic development in our two industrial parks. In 2011, the decision was made to combine them into a Unified District (TIF-UD), connected by a ribbon of Highway 58. That ribbon solely exists to make the TIF area "contiguous" (one single blob) as required by state law. So, though it would be legal to spend money on projects along the ribbon (but outside the Industrial Parks themselves), it's not in keeping with the spirit and intent of the TIF-UD. For this reason, regardless of a project's overall merit, if it does not directly relate to industrial park development, the money for execution must be found elsewhere.