Wednesday, May. 26, 2010 BY WILL BUSS - News-Democrat
The leaders of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is one of several who will be in Springfield Thursday to support the creation of sales tax and revenue, or STAR, bonds in Illinois.
Unlike several St. Clair and Madison county civic leaders who opposed STAR bonds for a development in Glen Carbon, Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brandon Bullard said many in his county are in favor of STAR bonds because they believe it would help ignite development and job growth in Southern Illinois.
Bullard said the only opposition to the current STAR bonds bill that awaits the Senate is that it does not include any other development or region except the Millennium Development in Marion. When the Senate reconvenes Thursday, Bullard said he will suggest lawmakers change the bill to include a 600-acre tract located adjacent to Interstate 57 and two miles from the interstate's intersection at Interstate 64 in Mount Vernon that is ready for development.
"We're not opposed to it at all," he said. "We just want to make sure we can compete for business on a level playing field. We want a fair shake on some of the new business coming to this area."
Bullard said Mount Vernon Mayor Mary Jane Chesley, City Council members and members of the county's economic development board, Jefferson County Development Corp., are planning to be in the state capital Thursday to support a bill that would bring STAR bonds to the Land of Lincoln and would not only be used to fund the proposed $378 million Millennium Development in Marion but also development in Mount Vernon.
"We want to make sure we can compete for the business that is wanting to come to Southern Illinois," Bullard said.
STAR bonds would give developers sales tax revenue to pay for construction of large-scale retail and entertainment venues. Its passage would pave the way for developer Bruce Holland, president of Holland Construction Services in Swansea, and his team of developers to use this funding mechanism to create the large retail and entertainment development in Marion.
One senator from Mount Vernon also wants to see STAR bonds available to developers in his hometown but only because the city would suffer if it is only granted for the Marion development. Sen. John O. Jones, R-Mount Vernon, said he believes STAR bonds are based on bad public policy, but if it is going to be allowed for a project in Marion, he will push to include it for a new development in Mount Vernon.
"The reason is because I am fearful that this bill is going to pass," Jones said. "And if it passes, it will be devastating to the city of Mount Vernon."
"No retail is going to want to build in Mount Vernon if they can go 40 miles south and get tax credits from STAR bonds."
Holland unveiled the Marion development earlier this month. His development team project that the Millennium Development would create an estimated 6,000 jobs during construction and 5,685 full-time jobs when completed.
According to the bill's sponsors, STAR bonds would only be designed and allowed for the Millennium Development in Marion and nowhere else.