Warner Robins City Council discussed development, with the goal of creating a gateway to a thriving city.
One of the ways they hope to do that is by making a tax allocation district, or "TAD."
That means if a developer wants to bring business into the district, all of the money that comes as a result of increased property value will stay in the district and pay for various projects.
It would run along Watson Boulevard from the Base to Commercial Circle and extend north to Young Avenue and south to Robins Drive.
The project is meant to give incentive for developers to bring their business to the area.
They expect the development will increase the property values, generating more tax money and putting more revenue in the city's coffers to pay for the future projects.
Daniel Cummings with the Middle Georgia Regional Commission says this concept should draw more investment in years to come.
"If you have a piece of property and today the current value is $10,000, you would freeze all the revenue you would get at that $10,000," Cummings illustrates. "Say something happened and it were improved to $20,000, that additional taxing of that $10,000 would go, specifically, toward public improvement in that area."
Executive Director of Redevelopment, Gary Lee, says this will get rid of blight and provide a more cohesive look for what he calls the "Government and Education Corridor."
A tax allocation district is one tool they can use to spur that development, without having to raise taxes.
"If you can help and assist a developer in any aspect of development that cuts their cost, it's a great thing for that area," Lee says.
He would like to see Commercial Circle to become a more modern "Wi-fi Circle" and include a large bookstore to accomodate Middle Georgie State University, Georgia College and State on the Base, and Georgia Military College.
The meeting did not create a tax allocation district.
The concept still needs approval from the county commission and school board before being finalized by the State Department of Revenue. This would all need to take place before December 31 of this year.
The TAD would continue for 30 years after its creation.
Right now, the taxable value of the property is an estimated $55.5 million.
