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Geneva Mayor Burns Leads Economic Development Gains and Plans More
My opponent for mayor of Geneva states on his campaign website the following:
The need for economic development to offset mounting property tax increases. The City Council needs to be proactive in bringing business to our historic downtown. The more out-of-town residents that are drawn to Geneva, the more that revenue will help reduce the property tax burden.
I could not agree more.
Since 2001, more than 700,000 square feet of retail and commercial space was added to Geneva’s economic base — in the historic downtown, along the Randall Road Corridor and the evolving and improving East State Street Corridor.
Specifically, since 2012 Geneva's downtown vacacny rate has steadily declined from its high of 15% to 8% today. We have welcomed more news businesses including, but not limited to, 3B Brothers Burgers, Beer & More, A Toda Madre, Chez Moi Cafe, Even Flow Music & Spirits, Reganato, Tivoli's Pizzeria Pasta & Grill, Trattoria Totuccio, Bridie's Nest Resale Shop, C'est La Vie, Color Me Vintage, Dancers Dream, Havlicek Ace Hardware, Her Art, Llilka's Closet, Mr. Cromwell's Attic, Raging Karma, Seasons of Geneva, Yester Years Antiques & Collectibles, Perlman Fine Jewlers, Sugar Path and so on.
In addition, but which my opponent does not address, is the fact that Geneva has added more than 500,000 square feet of industrial development, as well. Such development “costs less” to service and provides even greater tax relief for citizens and business owners.
An essential element of expanding our retail and industrial base is planning for such opportunities in a comprehensive and collaborative manner. That is why the nearly two-year exercise of developing the City of Geneva’s Downtown Master Plan (complete with identifying “opportunity zones” for future benefit and consideration) was a critical first step. However, my opponent deemed such an exercise at a recent Daily Herald editorial board interview as, “a waste of my time”.
A waste of time? Really?
I disagree.
On the contrary, the Mayor’s participation in such far-reaching planning exercises is critical to demonstrate to downtown business owners his support of sound planning opportunities and convey to business owners and residents alike that such planning, while time-consuming, is necessary to prepare for and embrace opportunities that are immediate and distant.
Geneva’s downtown can’t afford a Mayor who doesn’t have the time to invest his efforts and energies in helping enhance our economic environment. Planning for our future is not a “waste of time” as my opponent has stated, it is a sound investment of our time to ensure that our future is as bright as the present.
To the hundreds of citizens and business owners who participated in the development of the Downtown Master Plan, I support your efforts, your commitment and your faith in the promise of Geneva. My opponent does not.
I respectfully ask for your vote on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 and look forward to working with you - no matter how much time it takes - in the years to come.
My best,
Kevin R. Burns
Mayor of Geneva & Candidate for Re-election
PH: 630-877-1875
Facebook: Kevin Burns for Mayor
LEADERSHIP STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT
Rod Nelson
10:24 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Kevin, "economic development" in Geneva has been a failure over the past decade. Sales tax revenue is flat to trending down in spite of hefty increases in the sales tax rate, (http://geneva.patch.com/articles/geneva-sales-tax-revenue-continues-to-look-good) tax payer "incentives" and cash have subsidized losing "tif" districts where real estate tax abatements are being sought by the city's "partners" while passing the tab to the taxpayers. (http://geneva.patch.com/articles/jeff-ward-what-do-kent-shodeen-and-eddie-haskell-have-in-common), and some of the "development" has been done by trampling over property owner rights, like mine. see (http://www.geneva.il.us/minutes/PDF_minutes/cc050418.pdf)
Geneva's Mayor needs to be a polite and careful parliamentarian (the office is vested with little actual executive power under the Illinois Municipal Code) who presides over a council that serves to enforce the City's Code fairly and thoughtfully. City Governmental public servants should not be Donald Trump wannabe's that squander tax payer money while ignoring their own rules. Leave the "economic development" to the professionals who risk their own money, not mine.
Justa H.
12:32 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013
Who thought Soukup's would be a good bet for taxpayer funds? Also, Isn't "Gas for Less" a contradiction of terms when the taxpayers underwrite the cost of doing business?
http://www.geneva.il.us/economicdevelopment/PDF/TIF_Docs/State%20St%20TIF%20FY%202008-09%20State%20Report%20Complete.pdf.pdf
Any presentation of sales tax revenues should be done so in a transparent and consistent manner. Three key factors that taxpayers want to understand about the city's data and how it is reported:
1. What is the incremental revenue growth from applying higher tax rates on sales
2. On an inflation adjusted basis, what are the revenue trends for the city
3. What is the number of taxpaying reporting entities per period
A presentation of these numbers would constitute transparency - anything less is financial packaging.
Donna Mead
10:07 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013
Of course we all know that politicians are not a straightforward lot, and generally depend upon half truths to present their case. I put used car salesmen in the same bag as politicians, except that used car salespersons can't buy public sector votes by handing out 20% pay raises to their cronies as the City of Geneva has done over the past few years. Burns has a razor wit. I've also seen him slice, dice, and humiliate unsuspecting members of the public when they speak out in city council meetings. This is the ugly side, the nasty and unprofessional side of Mayor Burns.
If you want to read about Kevin Burns from another perspective, check out Jeff Ward's column elsewhere on the web. Mr. Ward is apparently not free to speak his mind here on the Patch but his comments, on ongoing candidacies are humorous, informative and present a refreshing counter point to the sales pitch presented as 'facts' by our local politicians.
Jeff Ward
7:30 pm on Sunday, February 24, 2013
Donna,
Did someone use my name in vain? And thank you for the kudos!
Though there are many aspersions one could cast on Patch corporate (and I'll get to that) - especially its ridiculous regional editors, Rick Nagel has never made an effort to silence me. Until this post, I've simply chosen to apply my voice elsewhere.
In fact, I still hold Rick in very high esteem. Patch is incredibly lucky to have him.
But not only is the salary information to which you referred worthy of our attention, it's frightening. Apparently, if you want to make six figures all you have to do is work for the City of Geneva!
Remember when Mayor Burns illegally told former Alderman Pawlak he'd have to FOIA staff salary data? Here's why:
http://thefirstward.net/2013/02/16/the-top-geneva-employee-salaries-be-afraid-be-very-afraid/
Jeff
Chicagobluesgirl
12:32 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013
If one looks a little deeper beyond the political hype of "successes," (see Jeff Ward's recent article on Patch) one would realize we are not and have not been developing anywhere near our potential economically. If "planning our future" is similar to the last several years of "planning our past," I think it is time for a change in leadership.