May 5, 2026 6:30p
(WGTD)---A series of moves to help finance the next phases of Racine Mayor Cory Mason's plans to strengthen neighborhoods and spur redevelopment were recommended for approval this week by the city's Planning Heritage and Design Commission.
Critics say the plan relies too heavily on tax incremental financing. That's where cities borrow money against anticipated value increases in order to incentivize improvements in a targeted area rather than funnel the higher tax revenue to cover general city expenses.
Racine currently has 21 TIDs.
On Monday, the commission approved transferring projected excesses from profitable districts to poorer ones in order to finance home repair loans and grants, infrastructure improvements and down payment assistance and 'clean sweep' programs. 'Clean sweep' is a new program where the city concentrates all of its resources in a targeted area in order to realize marked improvements.
Other transfers recommended for approval would benefit future projects in the Monument Square area and along Water St. Two new TIDs would help fund a future project on the site of the recently-demolished YMCA overlooking Lake Michigan and cover the cost of infrastructure improvements near the new Lincoln-King Community Center and Clinic. That neighborhood includes 33 newly-constructed town homes and two single-family homes. The center and the new homes were funded in part by $35 million in state assistance.
In a change of policy designed to grow eligibility yet keep the city from hitting a state cap on TIDs, the city would allow homeowners who live within a half mile of a TID boundary to benefit from programs.
Alder Sandy Weidner--no fan of TID financing--spoke strongly against all of the moves at Monday's meeting.
In an exchange of emails with WGTD, Weidner said the property tax burden would be significantly lower with fewer TIDs.
Speaking on the WGTD program Community Matters last week, Mayor Mason said he believes a majority of city residents favor his 'all-the-above' approach to redevelopment and neighborhood improvement.
Racine isn't alone in using creative financing. Just this week, Kenosha Mayor Dave Bogdala asked his city's Plan Commission to use excess increment from a soon-to-close TID to help finance affordable housing programs.
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