It would increase their property taxes by one percent. Last Tuesday, a 60-day period began for the public to sign an objection petition.
If 51% of the area's residents and 51% of its property owners sign the objection petition, then the city would have to terminate the process.
Miles Brainard, Rock Island's Community and Economic Development Director, says the feedback is important because the next step includes the specifics of the Special Service Area ordinance.
“This whole process of getting comments is done so that if people want the boundaries adjusted, or the tax levy adjusted or the types of services it would pay for changed, the council can consider that and incorporate any of those changed into the establishing ordinance.”
Rock Island is currently the odd-one-out of all downtowns in the Quad Cities, without a SSA or Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District, called a "smid" in Iowa.
“We’re interested in seeing our ‘down’ thrive, and that really means that it needs to be managed and managed in a way that is fiscally sustainable.”
If a Special Service Area is established in Downtown Rock Island, then it will be evaluated for success over a 5-year period. That will help determine if it will be a permanent change for 1st through 7th Avenues, and between 13th and 28th Streets.
The objection petition period ends January 13th.
