MOLINE - The city received feedback from many residents Tuesday about adding three new 'tax increment financing' or TIF districts to the city.
A TIF district gives developers tax incentives to invest in the area. One of the districts being discussed is the South Park Mall area. Some shoppers believe this would be a good idea for redeveloping the mall.
"You go to North Park, and it's packed there all the time," Moline resident Theresa Lang said. "What's the difference? They got more stores over there."
South Park Mall has just four major retailers compared to North Park's five. About 100 residents came out though against the TIF funds Tuesday night. They say it would be a waste of the city's money.
"Why haven't representatives from Miller Construction and South Park Mal bothered to spend a Tuesday evening with the council?" one Moline resident asked at the podium.
The city is also interested in setting up a TIF district at the corner of U.S. 6 and 150. That is just east of the Quad City International Airport. Developer Mike Weber wants to put a strip mall in the area. Miller Leasing, LLC is also interested in putting a concrete recycling facility near the area. Many Coal Valley residents came to Tuesday night's meeting, claiming that the facility would bring too much noise and traffic to the area.
The city says it will only give out tax incentives to developers who invest in a strip mall, not the recycling facility. The city says that the recycling facility would go up outside the TIF district.
The city also wants to give out tax incentives to Genesis Medical Centers, who plans on building a facility on 41st Street. The facility would go up near Whitey's. The city did not vote on any one of the TIF district measures Tuesday. They will vote on each of them though in November.