by Travis Mateer
An NBC Montana article caught my attention because the article is about Tax Increment Financing and I know a thing or two about this supposedly complicated tax mechanism. In fact, I made a WHOLE DOCUMENTARY about this complicated tax mechanism because it’s actually NOT that complicated. A special taxing district is created and any increase within that district goes to Ellen Buchanan at the Missoula Redevelopment Agency instead of the General Fund. This is one BIG factor behind annual tax increases.
Let’s see how NBC Montana explains Tax Increment Financing to its audience (emphasis mine):
Gov. Greg Gianforte’s property tax task force recommends reviewing tax increment financing laws. The complicated financing tool, which could be a topic of debate for next year’s legislature, is used in both the city of Missoula and the county.
Areas using this tool in the city are known as urban renewal districts.
“An urban renewal district is a specified boundary in which we can invest in public improvements, sidewalks, streets, utilities and parks and housing,” Annie Gorski, the deputy director of the Missoula Redevelopment Agency, said.
There are six tax increment financing districts in city limits. Urban renewal districts can be initiated by citizens, Missoula City Council or the Missoula Redevelopment Agency.
The property tax base remains the same in these areas, excluding growth. This means for the life of the TIF designation, the property tax revenue from new development in the area goes right back into the district, being reinvested. This is meant to encourage further development.
Hilarious! Our stupid Governor and his stupid task force are making a stupid recommendation for our stupid legislative morons to pretend to give a shit about this tax mechanism when LAST SESSION they couldn’t be bothered to give a shit because there were other more pressing matters to deal with, like finding a way to block Zooey Zephyr from sitting on a bench.
When you continue reading the NBC Montana article you get a little peek into the predictably stupid results that will come from the COUNTY duplicating the insanity of the CITY with their Targeted Economic Development District, or TEDD. Despite this peek, the stupid WILL CONTINUE whether locals want it to or not.
Because what are you going to do about it, Missoula? (emphasis mine):
The downside of TIF in the county is the potential effect on other taxing jurisdictions, Hagemeier said. Specifically, where school and fire districts intersect with TEDs.
“The amount of revenue that they’re going to collect is basically paused for that life of that district, so they’re experiencing growth, right?” Hagemeier said. “But they’re not getting the revenue from that growth.”The downside of TIF in the county is the potential effect on other taxing jurisdictions, Hagemeier said. Specifically, where school and fire districts intersect with TEDs.
“The amount of revenue that they’re going to collect is basically paused for that life of that district, so they’re experiencing growth, right?” Hagemeier said. “But they’re not getting the revenue from that growth.”
Yes, this is the crux of the issue: diverting tax revenue with TIF or TEDD starves the General Fund and forces our firemen to become panhandlers. If you’re ok with that, Missoula, then just keep doing what you’ve been doing about this issue: NOTHING.
From Missoula to Helena, with Republicans and Democrats, the future I’ve been warning about is quickly coming to pass. And what do I get for my local truth telling? Political retaliation that is so brazen and duplicitous that I can’t even describe to readers what latest developments I’m dealing with for fear of what the consequences will be.
If people knew what has happening, maybe they would care more about doing something to stop it, but I’m beginning to understand that the ignorance in this town is a choice, so why should I keep trying so hard to alleviate people from their chosen ignorance?
After every post I write I ask readers for money like a panhandling fireman, but donations barely trickle in, and I can’t even afford my fucking truck payment this month without borrowing money and selling off antique trinkets.
You are getting what you deserve, Missoula, and frankly I’m getting REAL tired of doing MORE than my part to try and stop this insanity.
If you’d like to help out one of the only people in this entire town willing to stand up to these fucking assholes, then donate to Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF), or don’t and wait for the madness to come knocking on your door, because it will.
Thanks for reading.
I’m with you my brother The warrior Spirit lives strong speaking truth to power has its costs but you know what I love what you stand for brother and you don’t take no s*** from nobody I can relate
Yeah these pug faced public servants all think that people in this town buy their turds and eat them down without even tasting them
And they do The MRA the economic development partnership to downtown business improvement district
Always a subjugating your money into places and people who have businesses downtown and want more people coming into our town
So their business is profit by a population expansion
The current example is how they’re banging the gong of houselessness
With the 30,000 people increase in our town the numbers even at 450 for houseless has not increased it’s actually dropped
But that doesn’t fit the narrative of let us pick your pocket give us money for these people who you don’t like living in your parks
All from the maniacal smiling mayor who knows the ins and outs of the non-profit housing sector and the for-profit housing sector as she’s a member of both
But that doesn’t affect her a decision making as mayor does it
No it does In particularly when she can dictate who gets money from her city
Look into the old situation with Ed weatherby the EB-5 director for the entire Pacific Northwest
He built all of those buildings around ogren Field with Chinese money and he didn’t let anybody else in the town have any other Chinese money
No he and his wife realtors of record on all the places that he built with Chinese money so their triple dipping
He wasn’t giving any Tiff money though
But those developments they were built with Chinese money that gave x amount of Chinese citizens lifelong visas for the United States
So he sold Missoula to the Chinese so he could get rich
And he was director of the economic development in Missoula
Him and Arnie Sherman ran the EB-5 program of which I asked to be considered and applied for
Nope no response from the director or his assistant because it would have been in this town where it would have competed with the projects that he built the director himself made himself rich and told everyone to suck a hind tit except the
Except him and his development projects which is made him a multi-millionaire
And people slap them on the back and say way to go when actually it was completely bereft of any fairness or application of the program to other people who could have benefited as well
One of the project in Montana that they did allow to get EB-5 funding was a mine The mine went belly up so you tell me did he have a hand in the mind get the money and let it go belly up
I don’t know how mine would employ 10 people
Over and above if it was already optioned operating
And is he held to account for the failure of that EB-5 granting
No he was focused on doing what he did for his townhouses and apartments and buildings and business buildings and share spaces that are all built around hogran Park
Yeah somebody that could have done something good for Missoula did it for himself
But that’s the history of the people in government just stay away pay no mind to what we’re doing you don’t have a clue You’re not smart enough to understand this let us do business and shut up and keep burning tax dollars that we can take