The question mayors dread most at a public meeting is simple: are we giving away taxpayer money to a private developer? With developer-backed TIF Bonds under Kansas’s Taxpayer Agreement Act, the answer is unequivocally no. The developer enters into a binding taxpayer agreement guaranteeing payments on the TIF debt. Delinquent payments are enforceable with the same priority as delinquent real estate taxes. The city issues bonds as a conduit — with no obligation to advance funds, levy taxes, or appropriate money for repayment. These bonds do not constitute a general obligation of your city. No public dollars are at risk, no existing tax revenue is redirected, and the 20 mills for school districts plus 1.5 mills for the state are fully protected from TIF capture.

Kansas TIF captures the increase in property taxes above the base year assessed valuation — while the base year taxes continue flowing to all taxing jurisdictions as usual. The increment funds eligible public infrastructure costs like streets, utilities, demolition, and site preparation for up to 20 years. As mayor, your role is championing the project, guiding the governing body through the required feasibility study, public hearings, and the two-thirds supermajority vote to adopt the project plan. The process is well-established under KSA 12-1770, and with the Taxpayer Agreement Act layered on top, your city now has the strongest TIF framework in the region — one that turns aging or blighted areas into completed developments that grow your tax base for decades.