Faced with the aftermath of a deep recession and an area of town that city leaders really wanted to see developed, Augusta offered tax breaks 25 years ago to the developer behind the Marketplace at Augusta off turnpike Exit 112. Later, in a retail development known as Augusta Crossing three miles south at Exit 109 […]
TIF
Franklin County TIF hearing changes location
FARMINGTON — A Franklin County public hearing on an amendment to the county’s Enterprise Tax Increment Financing Development Program has changed venue. It will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at the Fairbanks School Meeting House at 508 Fairbanks Road/Route 4 in Farmington. The third amendment to the 2008 TIF agreement related to […]
Franklin County approves TIF amendment; now it goes to state
FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to accept an amendment to a 2008 tax-increment financing agreement the county has with TransCanada Wind Development Inc. The amendment will go to the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development for review. The decision came after a 90-minute public hearing with most of those who commented […]
Franklin County to hold public hearing on TIF amendment
FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 4, on proposed changes to the county’s 2008 tax-increment financing agreement with TransCanada Wind Development. The hearing will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Superior Court room at the county courthouse. The TIF is related to the 44-wind turbine energy facility TransCanada built […]
Auburn mayor offers TIF money to help balance school budget
AUBURN — The city could use $450,000 in Tax Increment Finance money to offset a proposed 7.3 percent tax increase for schools, Mayor Jonathan LaBonte said Monday. LaBonte outlined his idea to use the revenue from city economic development TIF districts to fund career-oriented education for Auburn students. “I’m going to make a suggestion about […]
Lewiston postpones Exit 80 retail deal one more day
LEWISTON — Citing Tuesday’s storm and some last-minute editing changes, city councilors Tuesday postponed a decision on the proposed Exit 80 development and property tax incentives until Wednesday. “We want to be sure that everybody is on the same page and we are all 100 percent together,” City Administrator Ed Barrett said. “Secondly, given tonight’s […]
Augusta: A tale of two retail tax breaks
Faced with the aftermath of a deep recession and an area of town that city leaders really wanted to see developed, Augusta offered tax breaks 25 years ago to the developer behind the Marketplace at Augusta off turnpike Exit 112. Later, in a retail development known as Augusta Crossing three miles south at Exit 109 […]
Lewiston City Council debates cost of Exit 80 development
LEWISTON — The city would contribute an estimated $1.2 million to help prepare a site at Turnpike Exit 80 for development including a retail anchor. Lincoln Jeffers, director of economic and community development for Lewiston, told the City Council on Tuesday that the rest of the cost would be covered by landowner Dave Gendron and […]
Lewiston considers tax break for ‘major retailer’ interested in Exit 80
On Tuesday, city councilors will weigh a new tax break for developer Dave Gendron that could entirely rework the land around Exit 80 with a major retail anchor and much more to follow. Gendron has told the city he has a major retailer who wants in — but he isn’t saying who it is. By […]
Selectmen approve town manager’s contract in emergency meeting
OXFORD — Selectmen extended Town Manager Michael Chammings’ contract for five years during an emergency meeting Tuesday evening. There was little public notice of the meeting and no minutes were recorded, as required by Maine law. The contract, which was released to the Sun Journal through a Freedom of Access Act request, indicates that Chammings is […]