Auroraadvocate.com - JEDD talk resurfaces

by Miles Jung-Kilbreath

Reporter

Aurora -- A new plan to bring back a joint economic development district (JEDD) for the Marketplace at Four Corners could see Aurora and Bainbridge each receive 10 percent of income tax receipts for four years, with developer, the McGill Group, receiving 80 percent, according to Mayor Lynn McGill.

"Right now, [Four Corners] uses our police and other resources, but we don't get any income tax money from them," he said. "This would allow us to recoup the cost of those services."

The Marketplace encompasses shopping strips on both sides of Route 43 across from and north of the former Geauga Lake amusement park.

An original agreement between Aurora and Bainbridge was favored by Aurora, but turned down by Bainbridge trustees.

It would have had the McGill Group, which has no relationship to the mayor, being paid a one-time upfront sum of $1.2 million.

But the new proposal would spread payments to the developer over four years at an estimated $160,000 a year, while Aurora and Bainbridge would get an estimated $20,000 a year each.

McGill said after the first four years, Aurora and Bainbridge would divide the annual income tax revenue equally.

"I'm not betting on anything happening right now until Bainbridge passes an agreement," McGill said.

BAINBRIDGE Trustee Linda White said an idea to expand the JEDD to include the Geauga Lake property and possibly other businesses along Route 43 needs more work to see if it would be feasible and beneficial for all parties involved.

She said township officials have not received the "hard income tax revenue numbers" they have asked for, and that information is needed before Bainbridge can make a decision.

"I think it's good that we're looking at the issue again, but more work needs to be done," White said.

She has suggested the original JEDD zone be expanded to include the Cedar Fair-owned land formerly occupied by Geauga Lake and Sea World, but said it may be better to deal with the Four Corners area first and talk about future sites later.

Because townships can't receive income tax from businesses or a commercial development, McGill explained forming a JEDD with an adjacent city or village is the only way a township can collect income tax.

In the future, McGill said, the city plans to work with Bainbridge on JEDD agreements before a shopping center is constructed.

He added the city had tried to work with Bainbridge on a JEDD for Four Corners when it was constructed six years ago, but that discussion "fell apart."

E-mail: mjung-kilbreath@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3152