Doug Graves, owner of Graves' Stationers on Mr. Lincoln Square for 32 years, addressed the Clinton City Council at a special meeting held Tuesday night.

 

Graves previously requested money from the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund to pay for replacing his roof and his application was denied based on the fact that it was not a facade repair. Graves cites several buildings that were given money from TIF funds that were not used for facade repairing.

 

 

 

Graves adds that TIF literature states that one of the redevelopment costs eligible for funding is the "rehabilitation or repair of existing public or private buildings." He indicates that without these funds, his building will be condemned and become a financial burden on the city.

 

 

 

Tom Edmunds indicated that the TIF money that went to the McGill Hotel and the Spurgeons building is different from Graves' business because the city owned those buildings. He goes on to say that TIF money is much more limited than it used to be.

 

 

 

All parties agreed on wanting to uphold the integrity of Mr. Lincoln Square.

 

To learn more about TIF and it's guidelines, you can visit www.clintonillinois.com/home/government/economic-development/.