By Megan Kelley
Staff Writer
OXFORD – During its meeting on Feb. 13, the Oxford Village Council held a public hearing for the new Downtown Development Authority TIF (Tax Increment Financing) plan.
The renewal is a 20-year plan that will set the goals and objectives of the DDA from 2024-2044.
According to DDA Executive Director Kelly Westbrook, the plan has not changed from the one previously approved.
“Nothing is changing from it. We’re not changing boundaries. We’re not trying to capture from additional entities. We are just trying to move forward,” Westbrook told The Leader.
Working with community planning and design consulting company McKenna, the TIF plan essentially lays out four key areas they want to continue to focus on: economic vitality, design, promotion and organization. The plan also establishes the taxing jurisdiction.
Two community members spoke during the hearing, resident and local developer Dave Weckle and Oxford Township Supervisor Jack Curtis, both urging the council to approve the TIF plan as presented.
“I think that it’s very important for the DDA to continue to capture the tax money and use it locally rather than it go to the state and then back to the county, and instead of getting 100% of what’s captured, we might get 10% of it. So, we can spend more money in our own community with our own tax dollars,” Weckle said. “There are a lot of good things to come out of it and I’d like to see it continued again.”
Curtis noted that some taxing jurisdictions are concerned about the tax dollars going 100% to the DDA, specifically mentioning Oxford Township Fire Department which is currently in the market for a new fire truck that will likely cost upwards of $700,000.
Though these concerns exist, Curtis believes that having a thriving downtown is beneficial to the community as a whole and would like to see the DDA continue with its work.
“There is a lot of concern with those silos of money that we’re capturing but after we explained how the growth in this downtown has performed, how the activities in this town have excelled beyond belief – our downtown has really never looked better. I’ve been here 51 years so, it’s really a pleasure to come here, eat here, shop here. And I love the support that the ladies at the DDA provide and I just want to support you all,” Curtis said.
Council voted 5-0 to approve the first reading of the DDA TIF plan. The second reading and final approval is set for the council’s next regular meeting on March 12.