Williston, ND Active Issues

Sue Evans · Senior Member

RE: menards

NDGirl · Veteran Member

Looking into menards, is this really the type of business we want in our town?

http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/insider/default.asp?NewMessageID=24680

Sue Evans · Senior Member

The TIF simply means the property tax burden shifts from Menards to the rest of us. We will all pay for the millions issued to this entity through our property tax. (I have talked with several who have rec'd property increase values from the county this mo.) This term is for 15 yrs. Menards was also blessed with the Star Fund for 9 yrs. (Star Fund is funded through our original penny tax) The normal venue for the Star Fund is for a business to apply on a yearly basis. Menards was granted the Star Fund - NO required yrly app or vote from new commission members for 9 yrs. This business will be given the full amt of $250,000 each yr.

I am all for private business, I am not for private business having the ability to tap tax dollars without a vote from those who pay the tax. (or the possible new commissions) This is a large amt. for one single business to obtain. Now, if we were to do this for each larger chain to come to our area.....Think...Tax dollars spent in this venue should be spent for what is considered the greater good. The question is - would Menards have located here without such huge pkg deal?

It is my view, but I do not agree with any TIF district. These districts shift the property tax burden onto other property owners. This is unfair. We have a percentage in many cities at any given time shift the property tax from one to the other - from Charity, TIF, 2/3 yr new building, Ren. zones..we are talking up to 40% of a city. The only ones I agree with paying low or no property taxes when the rest of us are paying - the churches, non profit and those like my MIL that have had their home for 40 or 50 yrs.

Do you think Menards will or will not be making a profit in our area? If their corporate entity did not know they could make a decent profit level here, no incentive would allow them to locate here. That is the bottom line. Every large chain looks for a certain population level to support their business then it is location within the city. Many factors. Not a city incentive.

bohdan · Veteran Member

I have bought a few homes in town and have never been given a tax break.

A few years back before the housing market boom, Williston was giving tax breaks to new home owners. As more and more houses were being built the need for these tax breaks went away.

This is the same concept for bringing in buisnesses. As more and more come to town the need for tax breaks will go away.

It may not seem fair to buisnesses down town but it wasn't fair to home owners either.

Do we complain more about having nothing in this town or when something we need does decide to come here.

-- Edited by bohdan on Saturday 9th of April 2011 08:06:14 PM

Jibslider · Senior Member

Tesla wrote:
...
I make an effort to support the little guys, because I know without them there is no choice and you'll end up buying more **** from china @ walmart... not to compare Menards to walmart but without the options the competition goes away and thus the quality.
America was great once because of main st. not wall street.
...

+1

Tesla · Veteran Member

NDgirl,

I agree, if your going to give some tax breaks to business do it all the way around there has to be a way to scale it down for smaller guys.

I would say give no breaks, but if you are at least make it fair.

people can always vote with their money and spend it somewhere else....

I make an effort to support the little guys, because I know without them there is no choice and you'll end up buying more **** from china @ walmart... not to compare Menards to walmart but without the options the competition goes away and thus the quality.

America was great once because of main st. not wall street.

we do need more business here, I suppose the market will eventually drive it, but my biggest grub would be why isn't more of the state earned money invested on the side of the state where growth and demand is most obvious?

NDGirl · Veteran Member

The development will be behind both the house and basin concrete. One of the new businesses down town was at the meeting and made a point to tell people not to forget about downtown. It doesnt sound like the city is giving the small businesses money to help them get started. I am all for expanding our retail in williston, but why at the tax payers expence? When I open a business I have to risk my money on my business not thriving, why shouldnt granite Peak? If they dont have the cash to back their venture, then they shouldnt be in business any way.

Tesla · Veteran Member

exactly, good luck making a turn into that area, they'll need some wider streets to access it and some traffic lights...

ND girl, I don't get the quarter mill tax break for a big business like Menards... really? a fat tax break to a huge company so it can come here and wipe out little man competition??? it doesn't make sense, i think we need more businesses here sure, but do we need to cater to big corporations that badly? I'd rather have menards than a home depot, but still....

why don't little small businesses get similar breaks? you telling me little shops get similar deals?

idk,

anyways...

vko · Senior Member

Thanks for the information.

Sigma · Veteran Member

vko wrote:
Other then being totally doing other business, and this is a dumb question, what is a TIF district?

This is specific to Illinois, but it does a good job explaining TIF districts.

And, as always, Wikipedia is worth a look.

Clarke · Veteran Member

Behind Basin?? or those houses out there??

Good luck making a left coming out of there....its already a circus out there at that intersection.

vko · Senior Member

Other then being totally doing other business, and this is a dumb question, what is a TIF district?

NDGirl · Veteran Member

they plan to put it out wet of town across from OK Tire up on the hill. They do not plan to put a light in at that inersection until they have done a year long study after menards has come in. They also plan to divert all the water to the other side of the road.

Clarke · Veteran Member

I heard about the Menards but have been swamped at work and not able to make the meeting...where exactly are they going to put it?

Sigma · Veteran Member

The only things on the agenda last night was the approval of the annexation of the new commercial district and the connector road between Highway 2 and 26th street. The TIF district was not on the agenda, and it was somewhat inappropriate for Klug to bring that up. Mayor Koser did mention that there would be a public forum on the TIF district in the future, so there should be plenty of opportunity to comment.

As for the risks, the other option appears to be do nothing and hope everything works out. I think this is worth the risk, for the future of this community.

NDGirl · Veteran Member

I have mixed feeling about menards coming to town after the city council meeting last night. Apparently the only city council member who didnt feel we should give 247 million of our tax dollars to Menards was Klug. why should out tax dollars go to a business, when these dollars could be better spent on projects around town that we are needed. They could use that money for the new school that we need, and other things that need to be done. Plus the fact that they do not plan to put up a light at the ok tire intersection till about a year and 1/2 after Menards is built. That inersection is already crazy all day long, and it is now going to get worse.

To not let people voice their opinions about the development coming in and the issues it is going to cause the surrounding area was beyond belief. I was proud that some of our local business owners were there to ask the city council why they couldnt make this anouncement on a night when more of our business owners were able to come, not on a night when they are busy with the shrine circus.

We are already having trouble staffing local businesses. where are we going to find staff for menards? where will they live? yes we need new business in town, but why should we the towns people have to take on 247 million of the debt for menards? SHouldnt they have to put up some risk coming to our town? WHy should we shoulder all the risk.