Community Forum for Economic Development

June 21: Community Forum Public Meeting on AJ Wright

The Coming and Going of A.J.Wright

Panel participants include: 

Don Inks, South Bend Community and Economic Development

Oliver Davis, South Bend Common Council

Rebecca Ruvalcaba, La Casa de Amistad

7 p.m. - Marycrest Building, 2015 West Western Ave. South Bend

Third floor, La Casa de Amistad meeting room

(parking available on both the east and west sides of the building)

    In August 2002, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a 500,000 square-foot distribution center, constructed at a cost of $40.4 million by TJX, a discount clothing retailer. The promise: over 800 jobs by 2008 -- with good pay and medical benefits.  The business opened in April 2003 with about 200 employees.

    To prepare the 84 acre site, located at Sample and Olive on the West Side, South Bend used $8 million from state and local funding sources including $6.4 million in tax increment financing bonds. In addition, A.J.Wright received a ten year tax abatement from the City of South Bend.  

    In December of 2010, TJX announced that the A.J.Wright Distribution Center would close in February of 2011, eliminating about 700 jobs.

Although A.J.Wright has left our community, multiple questions remain:

-- What plan is being implemented to replace those jobs and protect our public investment?

-- What will happen to the tax abatement for that property? This abatement does not expire until 2014.

 -- Can the City of South Bend recoup almost $3.5 million in taxes which were abated (that is, not paid by A.J.Wright) from 2004 to 2010?

-- What penalties can be collected from TJX for jobs not created in accordance with provisions of a 2002 Development Agreement?

-- How will any penalties collected by the City of South Bend be used?  

-- Will these penalties be used to benefit the residents and agencies most impacted by the closing of A.J.Wright?

PLEASE JOIN US IN THIS DISCUSSION ON TUESDAY, JUNE 21, AT 7 P.M.

June 7: Upcoming Events

LUNCH WITH THE LEAGUE - Friday, June 10 at Noon

"The Conflict Between the Federal Government and Indiana Over the Use of Medicaid Funds"

Speaker: Ellyn Stecker, M.D., feminist family physician, member of the Board of PPIN  

When: Friday, June 10, 2011; Speaker at Noon, come as early as 11:30 to purchase lunch.

Where: South Bend Chocolate Cafe, Rockne Room (122 S. Michigan St., South Bend)

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the South Bend Area --- Event is free and open to the public.

*******************

OPENING DAY AT THE URBAN GARDEN MARKET - Saturday, June 11

Where you can buy fresh food from local people.

1025 N. Bendix Drive.

Open from June 11, 2011 to October 22, 2011

Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

*******************

OPEN HOUSE TOUR - Saturday, June 11 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

8 Homes to Explore

Beautifully Renovated & Ready to Move-In; From $55,900 - $135,000 (Income qualifications apply)

Bus Tour leaves Colfax Cultural Center, 914 Lincolnway West, South Bend IN at 10:30 a.m.

RSVP to jessica kitchens@sbheritage.org, 574-289-1066 ext. 214

*********************

TOUR DE UNITY BIKE RIDE - Saturday, June 11

9 a.m. starts/finishes at Potawatomi Park

Tour 10 Unity Gardens & ride 28 miles!

For more information, go to:

  www.tourdeunity.blogspot.com

******************************

FREE KIDNEY SCREENINGS Saturday June 25

from 8-11pm, the Kidney Foundation of Indiana and Saint Joseph County Minority Health Coalition will provide FREE kidney screenings for up to 120 people.  The Kidney Early Evaluation program or KEEP is a health screening program designed to identify individuals at increased risk for Kidney disease and encourage them to seek further evaluation and a follow-up from physician.

Important Economic Development Legislation will be Considered by the South Bend Council at its June 13 Meeting

Currently scheduled for a public hearing and Council vote is the revised Bill 25-10, supported by the Community Forum for Economic Development and other member organizations of the Coalition for Responsible Tax Abatement.

We strongly encourage you to attend the Council meeting (Monday, June 13, 7 PM at the County-City Building) and participate in the public hearing process.  If you want to review Bill 25-10, you can find it at the Tax Abatement Documents page on the right.  Both the revised Bill and a four page summary of the Bill are available.  In addition, a new document has been posted: "A History of Efforts to Address Objections and Build Broad Support."  This document identifies thirty changes made to the Coalition proposal in an effort to address expressed concerns.

Also on the Council's agenda for June 13 is Bill 27-11 - Appropriation - Major Capital Investment Projects in 2011.  These proposed projects are estimated to require $9.1 million in City revenues, $6.9 million of which will come from local income taxes.  In preparation for the June 13 vote, the Council's Finance Committee will meet on Monday, June 6, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Informal Meeting Room on the 4th Floor of the County City Building.  A copy of Bill 27-11, listing the proposed projects as well as the funding source for each, is here: Download SB Council Bill 27-11