City Manager Belleman Eyes Half Mill Per Year Property Tax Rollback

Uptown at RiversEdge, Third Street Waterfall Park Projects Get "Go" Signs

June 9, 2004
By: Dave Rogers

      City Manager Robert V. Belleman said Wednesday, June 9, that he would like to reduce the city property tax rate by a half mill a year until the rate is reduced from the present 20 plus mills to 12 or 13 mills.



      Mr. Belleman made the suggestion at the conclusion of the Bay Area On The Go development expo in the new DoubleTree Hotel - Bay City Riverfront attended by more than 500 persons.

      Mr. Belleman also announced a timetable for development of Uptown at RiversEdge, the 48-acre former Bay Aggregates site on the river at the foot of Columbus Avenue, and the Third Street Waterfall Park.

      Donald Jakeway, director of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) said he is committed to helping the city with development of the Uptown project. Mr. Belleman said Mr. Jakeway will provide the city with a letter listing what financial or other incentives the state will provide for Uptown.

      Construction of Uptown is scheduled to begin in spring, 2005, with completion by January, 2009, he said. The Foundry Marketplace, two boat basins, 75 units of condominium housing, and neighborhood retail stores are on a fast track, according to the city timetable.

      Regarding the propertytax millage, Mr. Belleman said: "The debt service is less this year so this is an opportunity to look at a long term plan to rollback the millage rate," said the city manager at the last forum of the day.

      The tax cut idea surfaced during the forum conducted by Mr. Belleman and Patti Stowell, economic development marketing manager, to explain plans for Uptown at RiversEdge and the Third Street Waterfall Park.

      The tax reduction idea is expected to be discussed at upcoming budget sessions. Mr. Belleman presented his budget requests Tuesday night to the City Commission. No details were given on how the tax rollback might be accomplished but observers noted that the majority of general fund costs are in salaries of city employees.

      The Third Street Waterfall Park will be paid for mainly with tax increment financing (TIFA) funds through the Downtown Development Authority, said Ms. Stowell. The city recently received a $100,000 "Cool Cities" grant for the project and about $150,000 will come from the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), said Ms. Stowell.

      "This is not just a $100,000 grant, the Cool Cities designation opens the door to 75 state grant sources," she said. "By being recognizedthe city goes to the top of the list for funding, so we will be doing a lot of grant writing this year and next."

      Contracts for Third Street Waterfall Park must be let by the end of the year with completion expected by next summer, said Ms. Stowell.



Candace Bales (above) of the Downtown Development Authority welcomes the first public gathering in new DoubleTree Hotel/Conference Center.