Another California city is seeking a way to line their coffers with more tax revenue. Their plan? To extend the life of the redevelopment agency for another ten years in order to “revitalize” the city.
Healdsburg City Council recently hired consultants to conduct a $221,000 “study” of Healdsburg to determine which properties are “blighted” and “under-utilized.” They will then amend the city’s redevelopment plan to reflect their findings and estimate how much tax revenue could potentially be brought in by redevelopment.[1]
This study is a prerequisite to the city renewing the redevelopment agency’s authority for another ten years. Inherent in the agency’s renewal will be their power of eminent domain to acquire homes and businesses the city wants to “revitalize.”
Despite Healdsburg’s horrific history of eminent domain abuse, City Councilman Gary Plass declared that “redevelopment agencies have been very good to our communities. We’d like to keep ours alive.”[2] Read the Castle Coalition’s response to Councilman Plass here on page 2.
[1] Clark Mason, “Healdsburg wants to renew its redevelopment agency,” The Press Democrat, July 16, 2010.
[2] Ibid.