Hmmmm... sound like "fuzzy math" to me, but I will remain optimistic.

Why should the public pay for those streets, developers always pay for the improvements , wht not the Gen. and F&M?

Better build some crosstown alternates if Harrisburg Pike is to become a quaint campus lane.

At the last City Council committee meeting, Randy Patterson and Patrick Hopkins made it sound like it makes sense. And both men are VERY GOOD at what they do.

Here's what happens: REAL "Tax Increment Financing" redirects the difference between PRE-improvement tax revenues and POST-improvement tax revenues. When "improvements" including construction are completed, they are immediately taxed at a much higher rate that reflects the value of the improvements. The TIF allows Lancaster City to borrow against the DIFFERENCE between the pre-improvement and post-improvement tax revenues, and use this money to pay off the money that is borrowed. The City, school district, and County continue to receive the same tax money they always have (in this case, at least AFTER Armstrong minimized).

These TIF-guaranteed and paid for bonds are used for improvements that provide for economic development. In this case, Lancaster City plans to build a PUBLIC parking garage that will complement the Lancaster Press building project, as well as installing streets, curbs, and utilities on the former Armstrong site. (Yes, this DOES benefit F&M College and LGH.) When the bonds are paid off, local municipalities then collect all of the higher tax rate.

Does this make sense?

This is all a part of Rick Gray's "traffic calming" measures. Rick Gray lives downtown, and walks practically everywhere. His plan is to make Lancaster City much safer for pedestrians, at the expense of smooth traffic flow.