Fourth Street development talks dominate DeKalb 7th Ward meeting

DeKALB – DeKalb residents packed a ward meeting on Thursday to meet with 7th Ward Alderman John Walker largely, in part, to discuss the city’s proposed plans to implement a taxing strategy to redevelop the Fourth Street corridor.

A tax increment financing district is a tool used to spur economic development in an area that otherwise may not see activity. It’s not an additional tax, but a way for governments to collect extra money for a specific purpose. Property tax dollars are pooled over time and then used to rejuvenate dilapidated buildings, or aid new development and business. The DeKalb City Council has discussed whether to approve what its calling the South Fourth Street TIF District. No final vote has been taken yet.

The proposed TIF District could run along South Fourth Street, from Taylor Street to Interstate 88.

There are several properties within the boundaries of the proposed TIF District owned and maintained by District 428, DeKalb Township and the DeKalb Park District, all of which officials said may have a say in how TIF funds are used.

Walker said he is opposed to the city’s plans to create a new TIF District – at least for now.

“It seems like there’s going to be a lot more people lined up to get this money, and it takes a while to accumulate that money,” Walker said. “I just think there’s going to be a line wrapped around the building for this. ... I just think, right now, we should kind of pump the brakes on it.”

In an Oct. 25 interview, Walker said he doesn’t see a TIF District working well along the South Fourth Street corridor in the same way it has in the city’s downtown.

“TIF worked downtown because of [the central business district] area, but this Fourth Street TIF is more residential,” Walker said.

After the meeting, Walker reacted to the violent crime that has rocked DeKalb and DeKalb County this past week, all in less than 24 hours. The area saw two separate and unrelated incidents where police shot and suspect.

In one, DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputies show and killed a Rockford man after he allegedly held a woman hostage in an hourslong standoff in the early morning hours Oct. 23 and then shot his own gun at police. Around midday on Oct. 23, DeKalb police were called to Brian Bemis Toyota of DeKalb dealership on Sycamore Road for reports of a man attacking multiple employees with a knife. The man allegedly refused multiple orders by authorities to put the weapon down, and advanced toward officers with the knife when police shot him. The man, who has not yet been identified by authorities, was expected to survive.

In response, Walker said he takes no issue with how law enforcement authorities handled the violent crimes.

He acknowledged that two DeKalb officers are on desk duty from the knife-wielding incident at the car dealership.

“As a mayoral candidate, I stand firmly behind the actions that took place and the actions that will continue to take place that our law enforcement use and provide to make sure we are all safe and secure in our city,” Walker said. “I stand 100% behind that.”