65 ILCS 5/ Illinois Municipal Code.

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-10) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-10)

Sec. 11-74.2-10. When the corporate authorities have acquired title to, and possession of all or any part of the real property located within a redevelopment area, they may let contracts for the demolition or removal of buildings and for the removal of any debris. The corporate authorities shall advertise for sealed bids for doing such work. The advertisement shall describe by street number or other means of identification the location of the buildings to be demolished or removed and the time and place where sealed bids for the work may be delivered to the corporate authorities. The advertisement shall be published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality 20 days prior to the date for receiving bids.

The contract for doing the work shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, but the corporate authorities may reject any and all bids received and readvertise for bids. Any contract entered into by the corporate authorities under this Section shall contain provisions requiring the contractor to give bond in an amount equal to 1/3 of his bid price, but in no event in excess of $25,000, conditioned for the faithful performance of the contract and requiring the contractor to furnish insurance of a character and amount to be determined by the corporate authorities protecting the corporate authorities and the municipality, its officers, agents and employees against any claims for personal injuries, including death and property damage which may be asserted because of the contract. The corporate authorities may include in any advertisement and in the contract one or more buildings, or groups of buildings, as they in their sole discretion may determine.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if prior authorization is granted by ordinance of the corporate authority, contracts for work on commercial projects to be financed with revenue bonds payable solely from rentals, loan repayments and other receipts to be derived from such commercial projects, whether or not secured by a mortgage, may be let by the prospective lessee without advertisement or bidding.

(Source: P.A. 81-1376.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-11) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-11)

Sec. 11-74.2-11. In carrying out the provisions of a final redevelopment plan the corporate authorities may pave and improve streets in the redevelopment area, construct sidewalks and install or relocate sewers, water pipes and other similar facilities. The corporate authorities shall advertise for sealed bids for doing such work. The advertisement shall describe the nature of the work to be performed and the time when and place where sealed bids for the work may be delivered to the corporate authorities. The advertisement shall be published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality at least 20 days prior to the date for receiving bids. A contract for doing the work shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, but the corporate authorities may reject any and all bids received and readvertise for bids. The contractor shall enter into bond in an amount equal to 1/3 of the amount of his bid conditioned for the faithful performance of the contract. The sureties on such bond and on the bond given pursuant to Section 11-74.2-10 shall be approved by the corporate authorities.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3213.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-12) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-12)

Sec. 11-74.2-12. When the corporate authorities have acquired title to, and possession of any or all real property in the redevelopment area, they may convey any part of the redevelopment area to any public body having jurisdiction over schools, parks or playgrounds in the area. The property so conveyed shall be used for parks, playgrounds, schools and other public purposes as the corporate authorities may determine. The corporate authorities may charge for such conveyances whatever price they and the officials of the public bodies receiving the land may agree upon. The corporate authorities may also grant with or without charge, easements for public utilities, sewerage and other similar facilities.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3213.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-13) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-13)

Sec. 11-74.2-13. No member of the corporate authority or employee of a municipality subject to this Division shall acquire any interest direct or indirect in any redevelopment area or in any property included or planned to be included in any redevelopment area. Nor shall they have any interest direct or indirect in any contract or proposed contract in connection with any such redevelopment area. If any such member or employee owns or controls an interest direct or indirect in any property included in any redevelopment area he shall disclose the same in writing to the municipality and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minute books of the municipality.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3213.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-14) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-14)

Sec. 11-74.2-14. The corporate authorities may at any time transfer and sell the fee simple title, or any lesser estate that they acquired to all or any part of the real property within the redevelopment area. No such sale shall be inconsistent with the provisions of paragraph (e) of Section 11-74.2-8.

Such sales and transfers may be made to:

(1) Any individual, association or corporation, organized under the laws of this State or of any other State or country, which may legally make such investments in this State, including foreign and alien insurance companies, as defined in Section 2 of the "Illinois Insurance Code"; or

(2) Any body politic and corporate, public corporation or private individual, corporation, association or interest empowered by law to acquire, develop and use such real property for such uses, public or private, as are in accordance with the final redevelopment plan.

To provide that the real property sold by the corporate authorities is used in accordance with the final redevelopment plan, the corporate authorities shall inquire into and satisfy themselves concerning the financial ability of the purchaser to complete the redevelopment in accordance with the redevelopment plan and shall require the purchaser to execute in writing such undertakings as the corporate authorities may deem necessary to obligate the purchaser to:

(1) Use the land for the purposes designated in the approved plan;

(2) Commence and complete the building of the improvements or the renovation of the property within the periods of time which the corporate authorities fix as reasonable; and

(3) Comply with such other conditions as are necessary to carry out the purposes of the final redevelopment plan.

Any redevelopment area may be sold either as an entirety or in such parcels as the corporate authorities may select. It is not necessary that title be acquired to all real property within the redevelopment area before the sale of a part thereof may be made as provided in this Section. All real property sold shall be sold at its use value which may be less than its acquisition cost. For purposes of this Division, use value represents the value at which the corporate authorities determine that such land should be made available in order that it may be developed or redeveloped for the purposes specified in the final redevelopment plan.

(Source: P.A. 81-3.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-15) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-15)

Sec. 11-74.2-15. Any real property in the redevelopment area that has not been sold, or in the case of commercial projects sold or leased, by the corporate authorities within 5 years after they have acquired title to all the real property in the area shall be sold by the corporate authorities at public sale for cash to the highest bidder who obligates himself to redevelop the property in accordance with the final redevelopment plan. Notice of the sale and of the place where the final redevelopment plan may be inspected shall be published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality in which the real property is situated at least 20 days prior to the date of the public sale. The notice shall contain a description of the real property to be sold and a general statement of the use for which such property may be developed under the redevelopment plan.

The corporate authorities may reject the bids received if in their opinion the highest bid does not equal or exceed the use value of the land to be sold. Within 6 months after the bids have been rejected, the corporate authorities shall again advertise for sale any real property then remaining unsold. Each additional publication and offer for bids shall be subject to the same requirements and conditions as the original publication.

Any deed executed by the corporate authorities under this Division may contain such restrictions as are required by the final redevelopment plan and necessary building and zoning ordinances. All such deeds of conveyance shall be executed in the name of the municipality by its chief executive officer, and the seal of the municipality shall be attached to the deeds.

(Source: P.A. 78-1155.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-16) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-16)

Sec. 11-74.2-16. The corporate authorities are authorized and empowered to incur indebtedness and issue revenue bonds in such amounts as they deem necessary for the purpose of raising funds for carrying out the provisions of a final redevelopment plan providing for the eradication and elimination of commercial blight and conditions likely to create blight and the acquisition, development or redevelopment of commercial blight or conservation areas and any other area which may constitute a redevelopment area within the municipality or for the purpose of financing in whole or in part the cost of acquisition, construction and financing of any commercial projects. The ordinance authorizing the issuance of such revenue bonds shall specify the total amount of bonds to be issued, the form and denomination, the date they are to bear, the place at which they are payable, the date or dates of maturity which shall not be later than 40 years after date, the rate of interest which shall not exceed that permitted in "An Act to authorize public corporations to issue bonds, other evidences of indebtedness and tax anticipation warrants subject to interest rate limitations set forth therein", approved May 26, 1970, as now or hereafter amended. The ordinance shall also specify the dates on which interest is payable. Such bonds shall be sold at private or public sale at a price of not less than 97% of par. The bonds shall be executed by such officials as may be provided in the bond ordinance. The bonds may be made registerable to principal and may be made callable on any interest payment date, with or without premium, plus accrued interest after notice has been given in the manner provided in the bond ordinance. The bonds shall remain valid even though one or more of the officers executing the bonds cease to hold office before the bonds are delivered.

The amendatory Acts of 1971, 1972 and 1973 are not a limit upon any municipality which is a home rule unit.

(Source: P.A. 82-902.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-17) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-17)

Sec. 11-74.2-17. The bonds shall contain a provision that the principal and interest thereon shall be payable exclusively from the proceeds and revenues of any commercial redevelopment plan or commercial project which is financed in whole or in part with the proceeds of such bonds, together with whatever funds of the municipality from whatever source derived as are necessary to constitute a local matching cash grant-in-aid or contribution for the redevelopment plan within the meaning of any applicable federal or State law. Such bonds may be additionally secured by a pledge of any loan, grant or contribution, or parts thereof, received from the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any loan, grant or contribution from any other public or private body, instrumentality, corporation or individual, or any duly executed contract for such pledge, loan, grant or contribution or by the assignment of any lease obligation of any commercial concern.

The corporate authorities executing the revenue bonds shall not be personally liable on the bonds because of their issuance. The bonds shall not be the debt of any municipality or the State, or any subdivision thereof. The bonds shall not be payable out of any funds of the municipality except those indicated in this Section.

The bonds shall not constitute an indebtedness within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory debt limitation or restriction.

(Source: P.A. 78-1155.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-18) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-18)

Sec. 11-74.2-18. The revenue bonds issued pursuant to this Division shall be sold to the highest and best bidder at not less than their par value and accrued interest. The municipality shall, from time to time as bonds are to be sold, advertise for proposals to purchase the bonds. Each such advertisement may be published in such newspapers and journals as the corporate authorities may determine but must be published at least once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality at least 10 days prior to the date of the opening of the bids. The municipality may reserve the right to reject any and all bids and readvertise for bids. Revenue bonds issued solely for the purpose of financing a commercial project may, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, be sold at private sale without advertisement at not less than par and accrued interest.

The bonds may be issued without submitting any proposition to the electorate by referendum or otherwise. Any bonds issued under this Section as limited bonds as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act shall comply with the requirements of the Bond Issue Notification Act.

(Source: P.A. 89-655, eff. 1-1-97.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-19) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.2-19)

Sec. 11-74.2-19. In connection with the issuance of the revenue bonds authorized by this Division, and in order to secure the payment of such bonds, the corporate authorities may, subject to the powers and limitations contained in this Division, covenant and agree in the bonds, bond ordinance or resolution, or any trust agreement executed pursuant thereto, to any necessary condition, power, duty, liability or procedure for the issuance, payment, redemption, security, marketing, replacement or refinancing of such bonds, and the use, disposition or control of all or any part of the revenues realized from a commercial redevelopment plan.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3213.)

(65 ILCS 5/Art. 11 Div. 74.3 heading) DIVISION 74.3. BUSINESS DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-1) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.3-1)

Sec. 11-74.3-1. Division short title; declaration of public purpose. This Division 74.3 may be cited as the Business District Development and Redevelopment Law.

It is hereby found and declared:

(1) It is essential to the economic and social welfare of each municipality that business districts be developed, redeveloped, improved, maintained, and revitalized, that jobs and opportunity for employment be created within the municipality, and that, if blighting conditions are present, blighting conditions be eradicated by assuring opportunities for development or redevelopment, encouraging private investment, and attracting sound and stable business and commercial growth. It is further found and determined that as a result of economic conditions unfavorable to the creation, development, improvement, maintenance, and redevelopment of certain business and commercial areas within municipalities opportunities for private investment and sound and stable commercial growth have been and will continue to be negatively impacted and business and commercial areas within many municipalities have deteriorated and will continue to deteriorate, thereby causing a serious menace to the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the people of the entire State, unemployment, a decline in tax revenues, excessive and disproportionate expenditure of public funds, inadequate public and private investment, the unmarketability of property, and the growth of delinquencies and crime. In order to reduce threats to and to promote and protect the health, safety, morals, and welfare of the public and to provide incentives which will create employment and job opportunities, will retain commercial businesses in the State and related job opportunities and will eradicate blighting conditions if blighting conditions are present, and for the relief of unemployment and the maintenance of existing levels of employment, it is essential that plans for business districts be created and implemented and that business districts be created, developed, improved, maintained, and redeveloped.

(2) The creation, development, improvement, maintenance, and redevelopment of business districts will stimulate economic activity in the State, create and maintain jobs, increase tax revenues, encourage the creation of new and lasting infrastructure, other improvements, and facilities, and cause the attraction and retention of businesses and commercial enterprises which generate economic activity and services and increase the general tax base, including, but not limited to, increased retail sales, hotel or restaurant sales, manufacturing sales, or entertainment industry sales, thereby increasing employment and economic growth.

(3) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State, in the interest of promoting the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of all the people of the State, to provide incentives which will create new job opportunities and retain existing commercial businesses within the State and related job opportunities, and it is further determined and declared that the relief of conditions of unemployment, the maintenance of existing levels of employment, the creation of new job opportunities, the retention of existing commercial businesses, the increase of industry and commerce within the State, the reduction of the evils attendant upon unemployment, and the increase and maintenance of the tax base of the State and its political subdivisions are public purposes and for the public safety, benefit, and welfare of the residents of this State.

(4) The exercise of the powers provided in this Law is dedicated to the promotion of the public interest, to the enhancement of the tax base within business districts, municipalities, and the State and its political subdivisions, the creation of employment, and the eradication of blight, if present within the business district, and the use of such powers for the creation, development, improvement, maintenance, and redevelopment of business districts of a municipality is hereby declared to be for the public safety, benefit, and welfare of the residents of the State and essential to the public interest and declared to be for public purposes.

(Source: P.A. 96-1394, eff. 7-29-10.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-2) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.3-2)

Sec. 11-74.3-2. Procedures to designate business districts; ordinances; notice; hearings.

(a) The corporate authorities of a municipality shall by ordinance propose the approval of a business district plan and designation of a business district and shall fix a time and place for a public hearing on the proposals to approve a business district plan and designate a business district.

(b) Notice of the public hearing shall be given by publication at least twice, the first publication to be not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to the hearing, in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality. Each notice published pursuant to this Section shall include the following:

(1) The time and place of the public hearing;

(2) The boundaries of the proposed business district by legal description and, where possible, by street location;

(3) A notification that all interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing;

(4) A description of the business district plan if a business district plan is a subject matter of the public hearing;

(5) The rate of any tax to be imposed pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3;

(6) An invitation for any person to submit alternate proposals or bids for any proposed conveyance, lease, mortgage, or other disposition by the municipality of land or rights in land owned by the municipality and located within the proposed business district; and

(7) Such other matters as the municipality shall deem appropriate.

(c) At the public hearing any interested person may file written objections with the municipal clerk and may be heard orally with respect to any matters embodied in the notice. The municipality shall hear and determine all alternate proposals or bids for any proposed conveyance, lease, mortgage, or other disposition by the municipality of land or rights in land owned by the municipality and located within the proposed business district and all protests and objections at the hearing, provided, however, that the corporate authorities of the municipality may establish reasonable rules regarding the length of time provided to members of the general public. The hearing may be adjourned to another date without further notice other than a motion to be entered upon the minutes fixing the time and place of the adjourned hearing. Public hearings with regard to approval of a business district plan or designation of a business district may be held simultaneously.

(d) At the public hearing or at any time prior to the adoption by the municipality of an ordinance approving a business district plan, the municipality may make changes in the business district plan. Changes which do not (i) alter the exterior boundaries of the proposed business district, (ii) substantially affect the general land uses described in the proposed business district plan, (iii) substantially change the nature of any proposed business district project, (iv) change the description of any proposed developer, user, or tenant of any property to be located or improved within the proposed business district, (v) increase the total estimated business district project costs set out in the business district plan by more than 5%, (vi) add additional business district costs to the itemized list of estimated business district costs as proposed in the business district plan, or (vii) impose or increase the rate of any tax to be imposed pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 may be made by the municipality without further public hearing, provided the municipality shall give notice of its changes by publication in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality. Such notice by publication shall be given not later than 30 days following the adoption of an ordinance approving such changes. Changes which (i) alter the exterior boundaries of the proposed business district, (ii) substantially affect the general land uses described in the proposed business district plan, (iii) substantially change the nature of any proposed business district project, (iv) change the description of any proposed developer, user, or tenant of any property to be located or improved within the proposed business district, (v) increase the total estimated business district project costs set out in the business district plan by more than 5%, (vi) add additional business district costs to the itemized list of estimated business district costs as proposed in the business district plan, or (vii) impose or increase the rate of any tax to be imposed pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 may be made by the municipality only after the municipality by ordinance fixes a time and place for, gives notice by publication of, and conducts a public hearing pursuant to the procedures set forth hereinabove.

(e) By ordinance adopted within 90 days of the final adjournment of the public hearing a municipality may approve the business district plan and designate the business district. Any ordinance adopted which approves a business district plan shall contain findings that the business district on the whole has not been subject to growth and development through investment by private enterprises and would not reasonably be anticipated to be developed or redeveloped without the adoption of the business district plan. Any ordinance adopted which designates a business district shall contain the boundaries of such business district by legal description and, where possible, by street location, a finding that the business district plan conforms to the comprehensive plan for the development of the municipality as a whole, or, for municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more, regardless of when the business district plan was approved, the business district plan either (i) conforms to the strategic economic development or redevelopment plan issued by the designated planning authority or the municipality or (ii) includes land uses that have been approved by the planning commission of the municipality, and, for any business district in which the municipality intends to impose taxes as provided in subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3, a specific finding that the business district qualifies as a blighted area as defined in Section 11-74.3-5.

(f) After a municipality has by ordinance approved a business district plan and designated a business district, the plan may be amended, the boundaries of the business district may be altered, and the taxes provided for in subsections (10) and (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 may be imposed or altered only as provided in this subsection. Changes which do not (i) alter the exterior boundaries of the proposed business district, (ii) substantially affect the general land uses described in the business district plan, (iii) substantially change the nature of any business district project, (iv) change the description of any developer, user, or tenant of any property to be located or improved within the proposed business district, (v) increase the total estimated business district project costs set out in the business district plan by more than 5% after adjustment for inflation from the date the business district plan was approved, (vi) add additional business district costs to the itemized list of estimated business district costs as approved in the business district plan, or (vii) impose or increase the rate of any tax to be imposed pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 may be made by the municipality without further public hearing, provided the municipality shall give notice of its changes by publication in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality. Such notice by publication shall be given not later than 30 days following the adoption of an ordinance approving such changes. Changes which (i) alter the exterior boundaries of the business district, (ii) substantially affect the general land uses described in the business district plan, (iii) substantially change the nature of any business district project, (iv) change the description of any developer, user, or tenant of any property to be located or improved within the proposed business district, (v) increase the total estimated business district project costs set out in the business district plan by more than 5% after adjustment for inflation from the date the business district plan was approved, (vi) add additional business district costs to the itemized list of estimated business district costs as approved in the business district plan, or (vii) impose or increase the rate of any tax to be imposed pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 may be made by the municipality only after the municipality by ordinance fixes a time and place for, gives notice by publication of, and conducts a public hearing pursuant to the procedures set forth in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 96-1394, eff. 7-29-10; 96-1555, eff. 3-18-11; 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-3) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.3-3)

Sec. 11-74.3-3. Powers of municipalities. In addition to the powers a municipality may now have, a municipality shall have the following powers:

(1) To make and enter into all contracts necessary or incidental to the implementation and furtherance of a business district plan. A contract by and between the municipality and any developer or other nongovernmental person to pay or reimburse said developer or other nongovernmental person for business district project costs incurred or to be incurred by said developer or other nongovernmental person shall not be deemed an economic incentive agreement under Section 8-11-20, notwithstanding the fact that such contract provides for the sharing, rebate, or payment of retailers' occupation taxes or service occupation taxes (including, without limitation, taxes imposed pursuant to subsection (10)) the municipality receives from the development or redevelopment of properties in the business district. Contracts entered into pursuant to this subsection shall be binding upon successor corporate authorities of the municipality and any party to such contract may seek to enforce and compel performance of the contract by civil action, mandamus, injunction, or other proceeding.

(2) Within a business district, to acquire by purchase, donation, or lease, and to own, convey, lease, mortgage, or dispose of land and other real or personal property or rights or interests therein; and to grant or acquire licenses, easements, and options with respect thereto, all in the manner and at such price authorized by law. No conveyance, lease, mortgage, disposition of land or other property acquired by the municipality, or agreement relating to the development of property, shall be made or executed except pursuant to prior official action of the municipality. No conveyance, lease, mortgage, or other disposition of land owned by the municipality, and no agreement relating to the development of property, within a business district shall be made without making public disclosure of the terms and disposition of all bids and proposals submitted to the municipality in connection therewith.

(2.5) To acquire property by eminent domain in accordance with the Eminent Domain Act.

(3) To clear any area within a business district by demolition or removal of any existing buildings, structures, fixtures, utilities, or improvements, and to clear and grade land.

(4) To install, repair, construct, reconstruct, or relocate public streets, public utilities, and other public site improvements within or without a business district which are essential to the preparation of a business district for use in accordance with a business district plan.

(5) To renovate, rehabilitate, reconstruct, relocate, repair, or remodel any existing buildings, structures, works, utilities, or fixtures within any business district.

(6) To construct public improvements, including but not limited to buildings, structures, works, utilities, or fixtures within any business district.

(7) To fix, charge, and collect fees, rents, and charges for the use of any building, facility, or property or any portion thereof owned or leased by the municipality within a business district.

(8) To pay or cause to be paid business district project costs. Any payments to be made by the municipality to developers or other nongovernmental persons for business district project costs incurred by such developer or other nongovernmental person shall be made only pursuant to the prior official action of the municipality evidencing an intent to pay or cause to be paid such business district project costs. A municipality is not required to obtain any right, title, or interest in any real or personal property in order to pay business district project costs associated with such property. The municipality shall adopt such accounting procedures as shall be necessary to determine that such business district project costs are properly paid.

(8.5) Utilize up to 1% of the revenue from a business district retailers' occupation tax and service occupation tax imposed under paragraph (10) and a hotel operators' occupation tax under paragraph (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 in connection with one business district for eligible costs in another business district that is:

(A) contiguous to the business district from which the revenues are received;

(B) separated only by a public right of way from the business district from which the revenues are received; or

(C) separated only by forest preserve property from the business district from which the revenues are received if the closest boundaries of the business districts that are separated by the forest preserve property are less than one mile apart.

(9) To apply for and accept grants, guarantees, donations of property or labor or any other thing of value for use in connection with a business district project.

(10) If the municipality has by ordinance found and determined that the business district is a blighted area under this Law, to impose a retailers' occupation tax and a service occupation tax in the business district for the planning, execution, and implementation of business district plans and to pay for business district project costs as set forth in the business district plan approved by the municipality.

(11) If the municipality has by ordinance found and determined that the business district is a blighted area under this Law, to impose a hotel operators' occupation tax in the business district for the planning, execution, and implementation of business district plans and to pay for the business district project costs as set forth in the business district plan approved by the municipality.

(Source: P.A. 99-452, eff. 1-1-16.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-4) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.3-4)

Sec. 11-74.3-4. The powers granted to municipalities in this Law shall not be construed as a limitation on the powers of a home rule municipality granted by Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

(Source: P.A. 96-1394, eff. 7-29-10.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-5)

Sec. 11-74.3-5. Definitions. The following terms as used in this Law shall have the following meanings:

"Blighted area" means an area that is a blighted area which, by reason of the predominance of defective, non-existent, or inadequate street layout, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, deterioration of site improvements, improper subdivision or obsolete platting, or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire or other causes, or any combination of those factors, retards the provision of housing accommodations or constitutes an economic or social liability, an economic underutilization of the area, or a menace to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare.

"Business district" means a contiguous area which includes only parcels of real property directly and substantially benefited by the proposed business district plan. A business district may, but need not be, a blighted area, but no municipality shall be authorized to impose taxes pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 in a business district which has not been determined by ordinance to be a blighted area under this Law. For purposes of this Division, parcels are contiguous if they touch or join one another in a reasonably substantial physical sense or if they meet the criteria for annexation to a municipality under Section 7-1-1 of this Code. The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, are declarative of existing law and shall be applied retroactively when substantively applicable, including all pending actions without regard to when the cause of action accrued; however, this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly does not affect the rights of any party that is subject to a final judgment entered pursuant to the September 23, 2021 opinion of the Illinois Supreme Court in Board of Education of Richland School District 88A v. City of Crest Hill, 2021 IL 126444.

"Business district plan" shall mean the written plan for the development or redevelopment of a business district. Each business district plan shall set forth in writing: (i) a specific description of the boundaries of the proposed business district, including a map illustrating the boundaries; (ii) a general description of each project proposed to be undertaken within the business district, including a description of the approximate location of each project and a description of any developer, user, or tenant of any property to be located or improved within the proposed business district; (iii) the name of the proposed business district; (iv) the estimated business district project costs; (v) the anticipated source of funds to pay business district project costs; (vi) the anticipated type and terms of any obligations to be issued; and (vii) the rate of any tax to be imposed pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 and the period of time for which the tax shall be imposed.

"Business district project costs" shall mean and include the sum total of all costs incurred by a municipality, other governmental entity, or nongovernmental person in connection with a business district, in the furtherance of a business district plan, including, without limitation, the following:

(1) costs of studies, surveys, development of plans and specifications, implementation and administration of a business district plan, and personnel and professional service costs including architectural, engineering, legal, marketing, financial, planning, or other professional services, provided that no charges for professional services may be based on a percentage of tax revenues received by the municipality;

(2) property assembly costs, including but not limited to, acquisition of land and other real or personal property or rights or interests therein, and specifically including payments to developers or other nongovernmental persons as reimbursement for property assembly costs incurred by that developer or other nongovernmental person;

(3) site preparation costs, including but not limited to clearance, demolition or removal of any existing buildings, structures, fixtures, utilities, and improvements and clearing and grading of land;

(4) costs of installation, repair, construction, reconstruction, extension, or relocation of public streets, public utilities, and other public site improvements within or without the business district which are essential to the preparation of the business district for use in accordance with the business district plan, and specifically including payments to developers or other nongovernmental persons as reimbursement for site preparation costs incurred by the developer or nongovernmental person;

(5) costs of renovation, rehabilitation, reconstruction, relocation, repair, or remodeling of any existing buildings, improvements, and fixtures within the business district, and specifically including payments to developers or other nongovernmental persons as reimbursement for costs incurred by those developers or nongovernmental persons;

(6) costs of installation or construction within the business district of buildings, structures, works, streets, improvements, equipment, utilities, or fixtures, and specifically including payments to developers or other nongovernmental persons as reimbursements for such costs incurred by such developer or nongovernmental person;

(7) financing costs, including but not limited to all necessary and incidental expenses related to the issuance of obligations, payment of any interest on any obligations issued under this Law that accrues during the estimated period of construction of any development or redevelopment project for which those obligations are issued and for not exceeding 36 months thereafter, and any reasonable reserves related to the issuance of those obligations; and

(8) relocation costs to the extent that a municipality determines that relocation costs shall be paid or is required to make payment of relocation costs by federal or State law.

"Business district tax allocation fund" means the special fund to be established by a municipality for a business district as provided in Section 11-74.3-6.

"Dissolution date" means the date on which the business district tax allocation fund shall be dissolved. The dissolution date shall be not later than 270 days following payment to the municipality of the last distribution of taxes as provided in Section 11-74.3-6.

(Source: P.A. 102-818, eff. 5-13-22.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-6)

Sec. 11-74.3-6. Business district revenue and obligations; business district tax allocation fund.

(a) If the corporate authorities of a municipality have approved a business district plan, have designated a business district, and have elected to impose a tax by ordinance pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3, then each year after the date of the approval of the ordinance but terminating upon the date all business district project costs and all obligations paying or reimbursing business district project costs, if any, have been paid, but in no event later than the dissolution date, all amounts generated by the retailers' occupation tax and service occupation tax shall be collected and the tax shall be enforced by the Department of Revenue in the same manner as all retailers' occupation taxes and service occupation taxes imposed in the municipality imposing the tax and all amounts generated by the hotel operators' occupation tax shall be collected and the tax shall be enforced by the municipality in the same manner as all hotel operators' occupation taxes imposed in the municipality imposing the tax. The corporate authorities of the municipality shall deposit the proceeds of the taxes imposed under subsections (10) and (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 into a special fund of the municipality called the "[Name of] Business District Tax Allocation Fund" for the purpose of paying or reimbursing business district project costs and obligations incurred in the payment of those costs.

(b) The corporate authorities of a municipality that has designated a business district under this Law may, by ordinance, impose a Business District Retailers' Occupation Tax upon all persons engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property, other than an item of tangible personal property titled or registered with an agency of this State's government, at retail in the business district at a rate not to exceed 1% of the gross receipts from the sales made in the course of such business, to be imposed only in 0.25% increments. The tax may not be imposed on tangible personal property taxed at the rate of 1% under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act (or at the 0% rate imposed under this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly). Beginning December 1, 2019 and through December 31, 2020, this tax is not imposed on sales of aviation fuel unless the tax revenue is expended for airport-related purposes. If the District does not have an airport-related purpose to which it dedicates aviation fuel tax revenue, then aviation fuel is excluded from the tax. Each municipality must comply with the certification requirements for airport-related purposes under Section 2-22 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. For purposes of this Section, "airport-related purposes" has the meaning ascribed in Section 6z-20.2 of the State Finance Act. Beginning January 1, 2021, this tax is not imposed on sales of aviation fuel for so long as the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133 are binding on the District.

The tax imposed under this subsection and all civil penalties that may be assessed as an incident thereof shall be collected and enforced by the Department of Revenue. The certificate of registration that is issued by the Department to a retailer under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act shall permit the retailer to engage in a business that is taxable under any ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to this subsection without registering separately with the Department under such ordinance or resolution or under this subsection. The Department of Revenue shall have full power to administer and enforce this subsection; to collect all taxes and penalties due under this subsection in the manner hereinafter provided; and to determine all rights to credit memoranda arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax or penalty under this subsection. In the administration of, and compliance with, this subsection, the Department and persons who are subject to this subsection shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers and duties, and be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties, exclusions, exemptions, and definitions of terms and employ the same modes of procedure, as are prescribed in Sections 1, 1a through 1o, 2 through 2-65 (in respect to all provisions therein other than the State rate of tax), 2c through 2h, 3 (except as to the disposition of taxes and penalties collected, and except that the retailer's discount is not allowed for taxes paid on aviation fuel that are subject to the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133), 4, 5, 5a, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5i, 5j, 5k, 5l, 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and all provisions of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, as fully as if those provisions were set forth herein.

Persons subject to any tax imposed under this subsection may reimburse themselves for their seller's tax liability under this subsection by separately stating the tax as an additional charge, which charge may be stated in combination, in a single amount, with State taxes that sellers are required to collect under the Use Tax Act, in accordance with such bracket schedules as the Department may prescribe.

Whenever the Department determines that a refund should be made under this subsection to a claimant instead of issuing a credit memorandum, the Department shall notify the State Comptroller, who shall cause the order to be drawn for the amount specified and to the person named in the notification from the Department. The refund shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of the business district retailers' occupation tax fund or the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund, as appropriate.

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the Department shall immediately pay over to the State Treasurer, ex officio, as trustee, all taxes, penalties, and interest collected under this subsection for deposit into the business district retailers' occupation tax fund. Taxes and penalties collected on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019, shall be immediately paid over by the Department to the State Treasurer, ex officio, as trustee, for deposit into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund. The Department shall only pay moneys into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund under this Section for so long as the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133 are binding on the District.

As soon as possible after the first day of each month, beginning January 1, 2011, upon certification of the Department of Revenue, the Comptroller shall order transferred, and the Treasurer shall transfer, to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund the local sales tax increment, as defined in the Innovation Development and Economy Act, collected under this subsection during the second preceding calendar month for sales within a STAR bond district.

After the monthly transfer to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund, on or before the 25th day of each calendar month, the Department shall prepare and certify to the Comptroller the disbursement of stated sums of money to named municipalities from the business district retailers' occupation tax fund, the municipalities to be those from which retailers have paid taxes or penalties under this subsection to the Department during the second preceding calendar month. The amount to be paid to each municipality shall be the amount (not including credit memoranda and not including taxes and penalties collected on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019) collected under this subsection during the second preceding calendar month by the Department plus an amount the Department determines is necessary to offset any amounts that were erroneously paid to a different taxing body, and not including an amount equal to the amount of refunds made during the second preceding calendar month by the Department, less 2% of that amount (except the amount collected on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019), which shall be deposited into the Tax Compliance and Administration Fund and shall be used by the Department, subject to appropriation, to cover the costs of the Department in administering and enforcing the provisions of this subsection, on behalf of such municipality, and not including any amount that the Department determines is necessary to offset any amounts that were payable to a different taxing body but were erroneously paid to the municipality, and not including any amounts that are transferred to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund. Within 10 days after receipt by the Comptroller of the disbursement certification to the municipalities provided for in this subsection to be given to the Comptroller by the Department, the Comptroller shall cause the orders to be drawn for the respective amounts in accordance with the directions contained in the certification. The proceeds of the tax paid to municipalities under this subsection shall be deposited into the Business District Tax Allocation Fund by the municipality.

An ordinance imposing or discontinuing the tax under this subsection or effecting a change in the rate thereof shall either (i) be adopted and a certified copy thereof filed with the Department on or before the first day of April, whereupon the Department, if all other requirements of this subsection are met, shall proceed to administer and enforce this subsection as of the first day of July next following the adoption and filing; or (ii) be adopted and a certified copy thereof filed with the Department on or before the first day of October, whereupon, if all other requirements of this subsection are met, the Department shall proceed to administer and enforce this subsection as of the first day of January next following the adoption and filing.

The Department of Revenue shall not administer or enforce an ordinance imposing, discontinuing, or changing the rate of the tax under this subsection, until the municipality also provides, in the manner prescribed by the Department, the boundaries of the business district and each address in the business district in such a way that the Department can determine by its address whether a business is located in the business district. The municipality must provide this boundary and address information to the Department on or before April 1 for administration and enforcement of the tax under this subsection by the Department beginning on the following July 1 and on or before October 1 for administration and enforcement of the tax under this subsection by the Department beginning on the following January 1. The Department of Revenue shall not administer or enforce any change made to the boundaries of a business district or address change, addition, or deletion until the municipality reports the boundary change or address change, addition, or deletion to the Department in the manner prescribed by the Department. The municipality must provide this boundary change information or address change, addition, or deletion to the Department on or before April 1 for administration and enforcement by the Department of the change beginning on the following July 1 and on or before October 1 for administration and enforcement by the Department of the change beginning on the following January 1. The retailers in the business district shall be responsible for charging the tax imposed under this subsection. If a retailer is incorrectly included or excluded from the list of those required to collect the tax under this subsection, both the Department of Revenue and the retailer shall be held harmless if they reasonably relied on information provided by the municipality.

A municipality that imposes the tax under this subsection must submit to the Department of Revenue any other information as the Department may require for the administration and enforcement of the tax.

When certifying the amount of a monthly disbursement to a municipality under this subsection, the Department shall increase or decrease the amount by an amount necessary to offset any misallocation of previous disbursements. The offset amount shall be the amount erroneously disbursed within the previous 6 months from the time a misallocation is discovered.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the municipality to impose a tax upon the privilege of engaging in any business which under the Constitution of the United States may not be made the subject of taxation by this State.

If a tax is imposed under this subsection (b), a tax shall also be imposed under subsection (c) of this Section.

(c) If a tax has been imposed under subsection (b), a Business District Service Occupation Tax shall also be imposed upon all persons engaged, in the business district, in the business of making sales of service, who, as an incident to making those sales of service, transfer tangible personal property within the business district, either in the form of tangible personal property or in the form of real estate as an incident to a sale of service. The tax shall be imposed at the same rate as the tax imposed in subsection (b) and shall not exceed 1% of the selling price of tangible personal property so transferred within the business district, to be imposed only in 0.25% increments. The tax may not be imposed on tangible personal property taxed at the 1% rate under the Service Occupation Tax Act (or at the 0% rate imposed under this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly). Beginning December 1, 2019, this tax is not imposed on sales of aviation fuel unless the tax revenue is expended for airport-related purposes. If the District does not have an airport-related purpose to which it dedicates aviation fuel tax revenue, then aviation fuel is excluded from the tax. Each municipality must comply with the certification requirements for airport-related purposes under Section 2-22 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. For purposes of this Act, "airport-related purposes" has the meaning ascribed in Section 6z-20.2 of the State Finance Act. Beginning January 1, 2021, this tax is not imposed on sales of aviation fuel for so long as the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133 are binding on the District.

The tax imposed under this subsection and all civil penalties that may be assessed as an incident thereof shall be collected and enforced by the Department of Revenue. The certificate of registration which is issued by the Department to a retailer under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act or under the Service Occupation Tax Act shall permit such registrant to engage in a business which is taxable under any ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to this subsection without registering separately with the Department under such ordinance or resolution or under this subsection. The Department of Revenue shall have full power to administer and enforce this subsection; to collect all taxes and penalties due under this subsection; to dispose of taxes and penalties so collected in the manner hereinafter provided; and to determine all rights to credit memoranda arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax or penalty under this subsection. In the administration of, and compliance with this subsection, the Department and persons who are subject to this subsection shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers and duties, and be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties, exclusions, exemptions, and definitions of terms and employ the same modes of procedure as are prescribed in Sections 2, 2a through 2d, 3 through 3-50 (in respect to all provisions therein other than the State rate of tax), 4 (except that the reference to the State shall be to the business district), 5, 7, 8 (except that the jurisdiction to which the tax shall be a debt to the extent indicated in that Section 8 shall be the municipality), 9 (except as to the disposition of taxes and penalties collected, and except that the returned merchandise credit for this tax may not be taken against any State tax, and except that the retailer's discount is not allowed for taxes paid on aviation fuel that are subject to the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133), 10, 11, 12 (except the reference therein to Section 2b of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act), 13 (except that any reference to the State shall mean the municipality), the first paragraph of Section 15, and Sections 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the Service Occupation Tax Act and all provisions of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, as fully as if those provisions were set forth herein.

Persons subject to any tax imposed under the authority granted in this subsection may reimburse themselves for their serviceman's tax liability hereunder by separately stating the tax as an additional charge, which charge may be stated in combination, in a single amount, with State tax that servicemen are authorized to collect under the Service Use Tax Act, in accordance with such bracket schedules as the Department may prescribe.

Whenever the Department determines that a refund should be made under this subsection to a claimant instead of issuing credit memorandum, the Department shall notify the State Comptroller, who shall cause the order to be drawn for the amount specified, and to the person named, in such notification from the Department. Such refund shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of the business district retailers' occupation tax fund or the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund, as appropriate.

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the Department shall forthwith pay over to the State Treasurer, ex-officio, as trustee, all taxes, penalties, and interest collected under this subsection for deposit into the business district retailers' occupation tax fund. Taxes and penalties collected on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019, shall be immediately paid over by the Department to the State Treasurer, ex officio, as trustee, for deposit into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund. The Department shall only pay moneys into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund under this Section for so long as the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133 are binding on the District.

As soon as possible after the first day of each month, beginning January 1, 2011, upon certification of the Department of Revenue, the Comptroller shall order transferred, and the Treasurer shall transfer, to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund the local sales tax increment, as defined in the Innovation Development and Economy Act, collected under this subsection during the second preceding calendar month for sales within a STAR bond district.

After the monthly transfer to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund, on or before the 25th day of each calendar month, the Department shall prepare and certify to the Comptroller the disbursement of stated sums of money to named municipalities from the business district retailers' occupation tax fund, the municipalities to be those from which suppliers and servicemen have paid taxes or penalties under this subsection to the Department during the second preceding calendar month. The amount to be paid to each municipality shall be the amount (not including credit memoranda and not including taxes and penalties collected on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019) collected under this subsection during the second preceding calendar month by the Department, less 2% of that amount (except the amount collected on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019), which shall be deposited into the Tax Compliance and Administration Fund and shall be used by the Department, subject to appropriation, to cover the costs of the Department in administering and enforcing the provisions of this subsection, and not including an amount equal to the amount of refunds made during the second preceding calendar month by the Department on behalf of such municipality, and not including any amounts that are transferred to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund. Within 10 days after receipt, by the Comptroller, of the disbursement certification to the municipalities, provided for in this subsection to be given to the Comptroller by the Department, the Comptroller shall cause the orders to be drawn for the respective amounts in accordance with the directions contained in such certification. The proceeds of the tax paid to municipalities under this subsection shall be deposited into the Business District Tax Allocation Fund by the municipality.

An ordinance imposing or discontinuing the tax under this subsection or effecting a change in the rate thereof shall either (i) be adopted and a certified copy thereof filed with the Department on or before the first day of April, whereupon the Department, if all other requirements of this subsection are met, shall proceed to administer and enforce this subsection as of the first day of July next following the adoption and filing; or (ii) be adopted and a certified copy thereof filed with the Department on or before the first day of October, whereupon, if all other conditions of this subsection are met, the Department shall proceed to administer and enforce this subsection as of the first day of January next following the adoption and filing.

The Department of Revenue shall not administer or enforce an ordinance imposing, discontinuing, or changing the rate of the tax under this subsection, until the municipality also provides, in the manner prescribed by the Department, the boundaries of the business district in such a way that the Department can determine by its address whether a business is located in the business district. The municipality must provide this boundary and address information to the Department on or before April 1 for administration and enforcement of the tax under this subsection by the Department beginning on the following July 1 and on or before October 1 for administration and enforcement of the tax under this subsection by the Department beginning on the following January 1. The Department of Revenue shall not administer or enforce any change made to the boundaries of a business district or address change, addition, or deletion until the municipality reports the boundary change or address change, addition, or deletion to the Department in the manner prescribed by the Department. The municipality must provide this boundary change information or address change, addition, or deletion to the Department on or before April 1 for administration and enforcement by the Department of the change beginning on the following July 1 and on or before October 1 for administration and enforcement by the Department of the change beginning on the following January 1. The retailers in the business district shall be responsible for charging the tax imposed under this subsection. If a retailer is incorrectly included or excluded from the list of those required to collect the tax under this subsection, both the Department of Revenue and the retailer shall be held harmless if they reasonably relied on information provided by the municipality.

A municipality that imposes the tax under this subsection must submit to the Department of Revenue any other information as the Department may require for the administration and enforcement of the tax.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the municipality to impose a tax upon the privilege of engaging in any business which under the Constitution of the United States may not be made the subject of taxation by the State.

If a tax is imposed under this subsection (c), a tax shall also be imposed under subsection (b) of this Section.

(d) By ordinance, a municipality that has designated a business district under this Law may impose an occupation tax upon all persons engaged in the business district in the business of renting, leasing, or letting rooms in a hotel, as defined in the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act, at a rate not to exceed 1% of the gross rental receipts from the renting, leasing, or letting of hotel rooms within the business district, to be imposed only in 0.25% increments, excluding, however, from gross rental receipts the proceeds of renting, leasing, or letting to permanent residents of a hotel, as defined in the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act, and proceeds from the tax imposed under subsection (c) of Section 13 of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Act.

The tax imposed by the municipality under this subsection and all civil penalties that may be assessed as an incident to that tax shall be collected and enforced by the municipality imposing the tax. The municipality shall have full power to administer and enforce this subsection, to collect all taxes and penalties due under this subsection, to dispose of taxes and penalties so collected in the manner provided in this subsection, and to determine all rights to credit memoranda arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax or penalty under this subsection. In the administration of and compliance with this subsection, the municipality and persons who are subject to this subsection shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers, and duties, shall be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties, and definitions of terms, and shall employ the same modes of procedure as are employed with respect to a tax adopted by the municipality under Section 8-3-14 of this Code.

Persons subject to any tax imposed under the authority granted in this subsection may reimburse themselves for their tax liability for that tax by separately stating that tax as an additional charge, which charge may be stated in combination, in a single amount, with State taxes imposed under the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act, and with any other tax.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize a municipality to impose a tax upon the privilege of engaging in any business which under the Constitution of the United States may not be made the subject of taxation by this State.

The proceeds of the tax imposed under this subsection shall be deposited into the Business District Tax Allocation Fund.

(e) Obligations secured by the Business District Tax Allocation Fund may be issued to provide for the payment or reimbursement of business district project costs. Those obligations, when so issued, shall be retired in the manner provided in the ordinance authorizing the issuance of those obligations by the receipts of taxes imposed pursuant to subsections (10) and (11) of Section 11-74.3-3 and by other revenue designated or pledged by the municipality. A municipality may in the ordinance pledge, for any period of time up to and including the dissolution date, all or any part of the funds in and to be deposited in the Business District Tax Allocation Fund to the payment of business district project costs and obligations. Whenever a municipality pledges all of the funds to the credit of a business district tax allocation fund to secure obligations issued or to be issued to pay or reimburse business district project costs, the municipality may specifically provide that funds remaining to the credit of such business district tax allocation fund after the payment of such obligations shall be accounted for annually and shall be deemed to be "surplus" funds, and such "surplus" funds shall be expended by the municipality for any business district project cost as approved in the business district plan. Whenever a municipality pledges less than all of the monies to the credit of a business district tax allocation fund to secure obligations issued or to be issued to pay or reimburse business district project costs, the municipality shall provide that monies to the credit of the business district tax allocation fund and not subject to such pledge or otherwise encumbered or required for payment of contractual obligations for specific business district project costs shall be calculated annually and shall be deemed to be "surplus" funds, and such "surplus" funds shall be expended by the municipality for any business district project cost as approved in the business district plan.

No obligation issued pursuant to this Law and secured by a pledge of all or any portion of any revenues received or to be received by the municipality from the imposition of taxes pursuant to subsection (10) of Section 11-74.3-3, shall be deemed to constitute an economic incentive agreement under Section 8-11-20, notwithstanding the fact that such pledge provides for the sharing, rebate, or payment of retailers' occupation taxes or service occupation taxes imposed pursuant to subsection (10) of Section 11-74.3-3 and received or to be received by the municipality from the development or redevelopment of properties in the business district.

Without limiting the foregoing in this Section, the municipality may further secure obligations secured by the business district tax allocation fund with a pledge, for a period not greater than the term of the obligations and in any case not longer than the dissolution date, of any part or any combination of the following: (i) net revenues of all or part of any business district project; (ii) taxes levied or imposed by the municipality on any or all property in the municipality, including, specifically, taxes levied or imposed by the municipality in a special service area pursuant to the Special Service Area Tax Law; (iii) the full faith and credit of the municipality; (iv) a mortgage on part or all of the business district project; or (v) any other taxes or anticipated receipts that the municipality may lawfully pledge.

Such obligations may be issued in one or more series, bear such date or dates, become due at such time or times as therein provided, but in any case not later than (i) 20 years after the date of issue or (ii) the dissolution date, whichever is earlier, bear interest payable at such intervals and at such rate or rates as set forth therein, except as may be limited by applicable law, which rate or rates may be fixed or variable, be in such denominations, be in such form, either coupon, registered, or book-entry, carry such conversion, registration and exchange privileges, be subject to defeasance upon such terms, have such rank or priority, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium or payment at such place or places within or without the State, make provision for a corporate trustee within or without the State with respect to such obligations, prescribe the rights, powers, and duties thereof to be exercised for the benefit of the municipality and the benefit of the owners of such obligations, provide for the holding in trust, investment, and use of moneys, funds, and accounts held under an ordinance, provide for assignment of and direct payment of the moneys to pay such obligations or to be deposited into such funds or accounts directly to such trustee, be subject to such terms of redemption with or without premium, and be sold at such price, all as the corporate authorities shall determine. No referendum approval of the electors shall be required as a condition to the issuance of obligations pursuant to this Law except as provided in this Section.

In the event the municipality authorizes the issuance of obligations pursuant to the authority of this Law secured by the full faith and credit of the municipality, or pledges ad valorem taxes pursuant to this subsection, which obligations are other than obligations which may be issued under home rule powers provided by Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution or which ad valorem taxes are other than ad valorem taxes which may be pledged under home rule powers provided by Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution or which are levied in a special service area pursuant to the Special Service Area Tax Law, the ordinance authorizing the issuance of those obligations or pledging those taxes shall be published within 10 days after the ordinance has been adopted, in a newspaper having a general circulation within the municipality. The publication of the ordinance shall be accompanied by a notice of (i) the specific number of voters required to sign a petition requesting the question of the issuance of the obligations or pledging such ad valorem taxes to be submitted to the electors; (ii) the time within which the petition must be filed; and (iii) the date of the prospective referendum. The municipal clerk shall provide a petition form to any individual requesting one.

If no petition is filed with the municipal clerk, as hereinafter provided in this Section, within 21 days after the publication of the ordinance, the ordinance shall be in effect. However, if within that 21-day period a petition is filed with the municipal clerk, signed by electors numbering not less than 15% of the number of electors voting for the mayor or president at the last general municipal election, asking that the question of issuing obligations using full faith and credit of the municipality as security for the cost of paying or reimbursing business district project costs, or of pledging such ad valorem taxes for the payment of those obligations, or both, be submitted to the electors of the municipality, the municipality shall not be authorized to issue obligations of the municipality using the full faith and credit of the municipality as security or pledging such ad valorem taxes for the payment of those obligations, or both, until the proposition has been submitted to and approved by a majority of the voters voting on the proposition at a regularly scheduled election. The municipality shall certify the proposition to the proper election authorities for submission in accordance with the general election law.

The ordinance authorizing the obligations may provide that the obligations shall contain a recital that they are issued pursuant to this Law, which recital shall be conclusive evidence of their validity and of the regularity of their issuance.

In the event the municipality authorizes issuance of obligations pursuant to this Law secured by the full faith and credit of the municipality, the ordinance authorizing the obligations may provide for the levy and collection of a direct annual tax upon all taxable property within the municipality sufficient to pay the principal thereof and interest thereon as it matures, which levy may be in addition to and exclusive of the maximum of all other taxes authorized to be levied by the municipality, which levy, however, shall be abated to the extent that monies from other sources are available for payment of the obligations and the municipality certifies the amount of those monies available to the county clerk.

A certified copy of the ordinance shall be filed with the county clerk of each county in which any portion of the municipality is situated, and shall constitute the authority for the extension and collection of the taxes to be deposited in the business district tax allocation fund.

A municipality may also issue its obligations to refund, in whole or in part, obligations theretofore issued by the municipality under the authority of this Law, whether at or prior to maturity. However, the last maturity of the refunding obligations shall not be expressed to mature later than the dissolution date.

In the event a municipality issues obligations under home rule powers or other legislative authority, the proceeds of which are pledged to pay or reimburse business district project costs, the municipality may, if it has followed the procedures in conformance with this Law, retire those obligations from funds in the business district tax allocation fund in amounts and in such manner as if those obligations had been issued pursuant to the provisions of this Law.

No obligations issued pursuant to this Law shall be regarded as indebtedness of the municipality issuing those obligations or any other taxing district for the purpose of any limitation imposed by law.

Obligations issued pursuant to this Law shall not be subject to the provisions of the Bond Authorization Act.

(f) When business district project costs, including, without limitation, all obligations paying or reimbursing business district project costs have been paid, any surplus funds then remaining in the Business District Tax Allocation Fund shall be distributed to the municipal treasurer for deposit into the general corporate fund of the municipality. Upon payment of all business district project costs and retirement of all obligations paying or reimbursing business district project costs, but in no event more than 23 years after the date of adoption of the ordinance imposing taxes pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3, the municipality shall adopt an ordinance immediately rescinding the taxes imposed pursuant to subsection (10) or (11) of Section 11-74.3-3.

(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19; 101-604, eff. 12-13-19; 102-700, eff. 4-19-22.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-7)

Sec. 11-74.3-7. Existing business districts. Except as hereinafter provided, business districts that were designated prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly shall continue to operate and be governed by the terms of this Law in effect prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly. Any municipality which has designated a business district prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly may, by ordinance, amend or supplement any proceedings taken in connection with the designation of a business district as shall be necessary to provide that this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly shall apply to such business district.

(Source: P.A. 96-1394, eff. 7-29-10.)

(65 ILCS 5/Art. 11 Div. 74.4 heading) DIVISION 74.4. TAX INCREMENT ALLOCATION REDEVELOPMENT ACT

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-1) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.4-1)

Sec. 11-74.4-1. This Division 74.4 shall be known and may be cited as the "Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act".

(Source: P.A. 84-1417.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-2) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.4-2)

Sec. 11-74.4-2. (a) It is hereby found and declared that there exist in many municipalities within this State blighted conservation and industrial park conservation areas, as defined herein; that the conservation areas are rapidly deteriorating and declining and may soon become blighted areas if their decline is not checked; that the stable economic and physical development of the blighted areas, conservation areas and industrial park conservation areas is endangered by the presence of blighting factors as manifested by progressive and advanced deterioration of structures, by the overuse of housing and other facilities, by a lack of physical maintenance of existing structures, by obsolete and inadequate community facilities and a lack of sound community planning, by obsolete platting, diversity of ownership, excessive tax and special assessment delinquencies, by the growth of a large surplus of workers who lack the skills to meet existing or potential employment opportunities or by a combination of these factors; that as a result of the existence of blighted areas and areas requiring conservation, there is an excessive and disproportionate expenditure of public funds, inadequate public and private investment, unmarketability of property, growth in delinquencies and crime, and housing and zoning law violations in such areas together with an abnormal exodus of families and businesses so that the decline of these areas impairs the value of private investments and threatens the sound growth and the tax base of taxing districts in such areas, and threatens the health, safety, morals, and welfare of the public and that the industrial park conservation areas include under-utilized areas which, if developed as industrial parks, will promote industrial and transportation activities, thereby reducing the evils attendant upon involuntary unemployment and enhancing the public health and welfare of this State.

(b) It is hereby found and declared that in order to promote and protect the health, safety, morals, and welfare of the public, that blighted conditions need to be eradicated and conservation measures instituted, and that redevelopment of such areas be undertaken; that to remove and alleviate adverse conditions it is necessary to encourage private investment and restore and enhance the tax base of the taxing districts in such areas by the development or redevelopment of project areas. The eradication of blighted areas and treatment and improvement of conservation areas and industrial park conservation areas by redevelopment projects is hereby declared to be essential to the public interest.

(c) It is found and declared that the use of incremental tax revenues derived from the tax rates of various taxing districts in redevelopment project areas for the payment of redevelopment project costs is of benefit to said taxing districts for the reasons that taxing districts located in redevelopment project areas would not derive the benefits of an increased assessment base without the benefits of tax increment financing, all surplus tax revenues are turned over to the taxing districts in redevelopment project areas and all said districts benefit from the removal of blighted conditions, the eradication of conditions requiring conservation measures, and the development of industrial parks.

(Source: P.A. 84-1090.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-3) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.4-3)

Sec. 11-74.4-3. Definitions. The following terms, wherever used or referred to in this Division 74.4 shall have the following respective meanings, unless in any case a different meaning clearly appears from the context.

(a) For any redevelopment project area that has been designated pursuant to this Section by an ordinance adopted prior to November 1, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-478), "blighted area" shall have the meaning set forth in this Section prior to that date.

On and after November 1, 1999, "blighted area" means any improved or vacant area within the boundaries of a redevelopment project area located within the territorial limits of the municipality where:

(1) If improved, industrial, commercial, and residential buildings or improvements are detrimental to the public safety, health, or welfare because of a combination of 5 or more of the following factors, each of which is (i) present, with that presence documented, to a meaningful extent so that a municipality may reasonably find that the factor is clearly present within the intent of the Act and (ii) reasonably distributed throughout the improved part of the redevelopment project area:

(A) Dilapidation. An advanced state of disrepair or neglect of necessary repairs to the primary structural components of buildings or improvements in such a combination that a documented building condition analysis determines that major repair is required or the defects are so serious and so extensive that the buildings must be removed.

(B) Obsolescence. The condition or process of falling into disuse. Structures have become ill-suited for the original use.

(C) Deterioration. With respect to buildings, defects including, but not limited to, major defects in the secondary building components such as doors, windows, porches, gutters and downspouts, and fascia. With respect to surface improvements, that the condition of roadways, alleys, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, off-street parking, and surface storage areas evidence deterioration, including, but not limited to, surface cracking, crumbling, potholes, depressions, loose paving material, and weeds protruding through paved surfaces.

(D) Presence of structures below minimum code standards. All structures that do not meet the standards of zoning, subdivision, building, fire, and other governmental codes applicable to property, but not including housing and property maintenance codes.

(E) Illegal use of individual structures. The use of structures in violation of applicable federal, State, or local laws, exclusive of those applicable to the presence of structures below minimum code standards.

(F) Excessive vacancies. The presence of buildings that are unoccupied or under-utilized and that represent an adverse influence on the area because of the frequency, extent, or duration of the vacancies.

(G) Lack of ventilation, light, or sanitary facilities. The absence of adequate ventilation for light or air circulation in spaces or rooms without windows, or that require the removal of dust, odor, gas, smoke, or other noxious airborne materials. Inadequate natural light and ventilation means the absence of skylights or windows for interior spaces or rooms and improper window sizes and amounts by room area to window area ratios. Inadequate sanitary facilities refers to the absence or inadequacy of garbage storage and enclosure, bathroom facilities, hot water and kitchens, and structural inadequacies preventing ingress and egress to and from all rooms and units within a building.

(H) Inadequate utilities. Underground and overhead utilities such as storm sewers and storm drainage, sanitary sewers, water lines, and gas, telephone, and electrical services that are shown to be inadequate. Inadequate utilities are those that are: (i) of insufficient capacity to serve the uses in the redevelopment project area, (ii) deteriorated, antiquated, obsolete, or in disrepair, or (iii) lacking within the redevelopment project area.

(I) Excessive land coverage and overcrowding of structures and community facilities. The over-intensive use of property and the crowding of buildings and accessory facilities onto a site. Examples of problem conditions warranting the designation of an area as one exhibiting excessive land coverage are: (i) the presence of buildings either improperly situated on parcels or located on parcels of inadequate size and shape in relation to present-day standards of development for health and safety and (ii) the presence of multiple buildings on a single parcel. For there to be a finding of excessive land coverage, these parcels must exhibit one or more of the following conditions: insufficient provision for light and air within or around buildings, increased threat of spread of fire due to the close proximity of buildings, lack of adequate or proper access to a public right-of-way, lack of reasonably required off-street parking, or inadequate provision for loading and service.

(J) Deleterious land use or layout. The existence of incompatible land-use relationships, buildings occupied by inappropriate mixed-uses, or uses considered to be noxious, offensive, or unsuitable for the surrounding area.

(K) Environmental clean-up. The proposed redevelopment project area has incurred Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or United States Environmental Protection Agency remediation costs for, or a study conducted by an independent consultant recognized as having expertise in environmental remediation has determined a need for, the clean-up of hazardous waste, hazardous substances, or underground storage tanks required by State or federal law, provided that the remediation costs constitute a material impediment to the development or redevelopment of the redevelopment project area.

(L) Lack of community planning. The proposed redevelopment project area was developed prior to or without the benefit or guidance of a community plan. This means that the development occurred prior to the adoption by the municipality of a comprehensive or other community plan or that the plan was not followed at the time of the area's development. This factor must be documented by evidence of adverse or incompatible land-use relationships, inadequate street layout, improper subdivision, parcels of inadequate shape and size to meet contemporary development standards, or other evidence demonstrating an absence of effective community planning.

(M) The total equalized assessed value of the proposed redevelopment project area has declined for 3 of the last 5 calendar years prior to the year in which the redevelopment project area is designated or is increasing at an annual rate that is less than the balance of the municipality for 3 of the last 5 calendar years for which information is available or is increasing at an annual rate that is less than the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the United States Department of Labor or successor agency for 3 of the last 5 calendar years prior to the year in which the redevelopment project area is designated.

(2) If vacant, the sound growth of the redevelopment project area is impaired by a combination of 2 or more of the following factors, each of which is (i) present, with that presence documented, to a meaningful extent so that a municipality may reasonably find that the factor is clearly present within the intent of the Act and (ii) reasonably distributed throughout the vacant part of the redevelopment project area to which it pertains:

(A) Obsolete platting of vacant land that results in parcels of limited or narrow size or configurations of parcels of irregular size or shape that would be difficult to develop on a planned basis and in a manner compatible with contemporary standards and requirements, or platting that failed to create rights-of-ways for streets or alleys or that created inadequate right-of-way widths for streets, alleys, or other public rights-of-way or that omitted easements for public utilities.

(B) Diversity of ownership of parcels of vacant land sufficient in number to retard or impede the ability to assemble the land for development.

(C) Tax and special assessment delinquencies exist or the property has been the subject of tax sales under the Property Tax Code within the last 5 years.

(D) Deterioration of structures or site improvements in neighboring areas adjacent to the vacant land.

(E) The area has incurred Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or United States Environmental Protection Agency remediation costs for, or a study conducted by an independent consultant recognized as having expertise in environmental remediation has determined a need for, the clean-up of hazardous waste, hazardous substances, or underground storage tanks required by State or federal law, provided that the remediation costs constitute a material impediment to the development or redevelopment of the redevelopment project area.

(F) The total equalized assessed value of the proposed redevelopment project area has declined for 3 of the last 5 calendar years prior to the year in which the redevelopment project area is designated or is increasing at an annual rate that is less than the balance of the municipality for 3 of the last 5 calendar years for which information is available or is increasing at an annual rate that is less than the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the United States Department of Labor or successor agency for 3 of the last 5 calendar years prior to the year in which the redevelopment project area is designated.

(3) If vacant, the sound growth of the redevelopment project area is impaired by one of the following factors that (i) is present, with that presence documented, to a meaningful extent so that a municipality may reasonably find that the factor is clearly present within the intent of the Act and (ii) is reasonably distributed throughout the vacant part of the redevelopment project area to which it pertains:

(A) The area consists of one or more unused quarries, mines, or strip mine ponds.

(B) The area consists of unused rail yards, rail tracks, or railroad rights-of-way.

(C) The area, prior to its designation, is subject to (i) chronic flooding that adversely impacts on real property in the area as certified by a registered professional engineer or appropriate regulatory agency or (ii) surface water that discharges from all or a part of the area and contributes to flooding within the same watershed, but only if the redevelopment project provides for facilities or improvements to contribute to the alleviation of all or part of the flooding.

(D) The area consists of an unused or illegal disposal site containing earth, stone, building debris, or similar materials that were removed from construction, demolition, excavation, or dredge sites.

(E) Prior to November 1, 1999, the area is not less than 50 nor more than 100 acres and 75% of which is vacant (notwithstanding that the area has been used for commercial agricultural purposes within 5 years prior to the designation of the redevelopment project area), and the area meets at least one of the factors itemized in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the area has been designated as a town or village center by ordinance or comprehensive plan adopted prior to January 1, 1982, and the area has not been developed for that designated purpose.

(F) The area qualified as a blighted improved area immediately prior to becoming vacant, unless there has been substantial private investment in the immediately surrounding area.

(b) For any redevelopment project area that has been designated pursuant to this Section by an ordinance adopted prior to November 1, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-478), "conservation area" shall have the meaning set forth in this Section prior to that date.

On and after November 1, 1999, "conservation area" means any improved area within the boundaries of a redevelopment project area located within the territorial limits of the municipality in which 50% or more of the structures in the area have an age of 35 years or more. Such an area is not yet a blighted area but because of a combination of 3 or more of the following factors is detrimental to the public safety, health, morals or welfare and such an area may become a blighted area:

(1) Dilapidation. An advanced state of disrepair or neglect of necessary repairs to the primary structural components of buildings or improvements in such a combination that a documented building condition analysis determines that major repair is required or the defects are so serious and so extensive that the buildings must be removed.

(2) Obsolescence. The condition or process of falling into disuse. Structures have become ill-suited for the original use.

(3) Deterioration. With respect to buildings, defects including, but not limited to, major defects in the secondary building components such as doors, windows, porches, gutters and downspouts, and fascia. With respect to surface improvements, that the condition of roadways, alleys, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, off-street parking, and surface storage areas evidence deterioration, including, but not limited to, surface cracking, crumbling, potholes, depressions, loose paving material, and weeds protruding through paved surfaces.

(4) Presence of structures below minimum code standards. All structures that do not meet the standards of zoning, subdivision, building, fire, and other governmental codes applicable to property, but not including housing and property maintenance codes.

(5) Illegal use of individual structures. The use of structures in violation of applicable federal, State, or local laws, exclusive of those applicable to the presence of structures below minimum code standards.

(6) Excessive vacancies. The presence of buildings that are unoccupied or under-utilized and that represent an adverse influence on the area because of the frequency, extent, or duration of the vacancies.

(7) Lack of ventilation, light, or sanitary facilities. The absence of adequate ventilation for light or air circulation in spaces or rooms without windows, or that require the removal of dust, odor, gas, smoke, or other noxious airborne materials. Inadequate natural light and ventilation means the absence or inadequacy of skylights or windows for interior spaces or rooms and improper window sizes and amounts by room area to window area ratios. Inadequate sanitary facilities refers to the absence or inadequacy of garbage storage and enclosure, bathroom facilities, hot water and kitchens, and structural inadequacies preventing ingress and egress to and from all rooms and units within a building.

(8) Inadequate utilities. Underground and overhead utilities such as storm sewers and storm drainage, sanitary sewers, water lines, and gas, telephone, and electrical services that are shown to be inadequate. Inadequate utilities are those that are: (i) of insufficient capacity to serve the uses in the redevelopment project area, (ii) deteriorated, antiquated, obsolete, or in disrepair, or (iii) lacking within the redevelopment project area.

(9) Excessive land coverage and overcrowding of structures and community facilities. The over-intensive use of property and the crowding of buildings and accessory facilities onto a site. Examples of problem conditions warranting the designation of an area as one exhibiting excessive land coverage are: the presence of buildings either improperly situated on parcels or located on parcels of inadequate size and shape in relation to present-day standards of development for health and safety and the presence of multiple buildings on a single parcel. For there to be a finding of excessive land coverage, these parcels must exhibit one or more of the following conditions: insufficient provision for light and air within or around buildings, increased threat of spread of fire due to the close proximity of buildings, lack of adequate or proper access to a public right-of-way, lack of reasonably required off-street parking, or inadequate provision for loading and service.

(10) Deleterious land use or layout. The existence of incompatible land-use relationships, buildings occupied by inappropriate mixed-uses, or uses considered to be noxious, offensive, or unsuitable for the surrounding area.

(11) Lack of community planning. The proposed redevelopment project area was developed prior to or without the benefit or guidance of a community plan. This means that the development occurred prior to the adoption by the municipality of a comprehensive or other community plan or that the plan was not followed at the time of the area's development. This factor must be documented by evidence of adverse or incompatible land-use relationships, inadequate street layout, improper subdivision, parcels of inadequate shape and size to meet contemporary development standards, or other evidence demonstrating an absence of effective community planning.

(12) The area has incurred Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or United States Environmental Protection Agency remediation costs for, or a study conducted by an independent consultant recognized as having expertise in environmental remediation has determined a need for, the clean-up of hazardous waste, hazardous substances, or underground storage tanks required by State or federal law, provided that the remediation costs constitute a material impediment to the development or redevelopment of the redevelopment project area.

(13) The total equalized assessed value of the proposed redevelopment project area has declined for 3 of the last 5 calendar years for which information is available or is increasing at an annual rate that is less than the balance of the municipality for 3 of the last 5 calendar years for which information is available or is increasing at an annual rate that is less than the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the United States Department of Labor or successor agency for 3 of the last 5 calendar years for which information is available.

(c) "Industrial park" means an area in a blighted or conservation area suitable for use by any manufacturing, industrial, research or transportation enterprise, of facilities to include but not be limited to factories, mills, processing plants, assembly plants, packing plants, fabricating plants, industrial distribution centers, warehouses, repair overhaul or service facilities, freight terminals, research facilities, test facilities or railroad facilities.

(d) "Industrial park conservation area" means an area within the boundaries of a redevelopment project area located within the territorial limits of a municipality that is a labor surplus municipality or within 1 1/2 miles of the territorial limits of a municipality that is a labor surplus municipality if the area is annexed to the municipality; which area is zoned as industrial no later than at the time the municipality by ordinance designates the redevelopment project area, and which area includes both vacant land suitable for use as an industrial park and a blighted area or conservation area contiguous to such vacant land.

(e) "Labor surplus municipality" means a municipality in which, at any time during the 6 months before the municipality by ordinance designates an industrial park conservation area, the unemployment rate was over 6% and was also 100% or more of the national average unemployment rate for that same time as published in the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics publication entitled "The Employment Situation" or its successor publication. For the purpose of this subsection, if unemployment rate statistics for the municipality are not available, the unemployment rate in the municipality shall be deemed to be the same as the unemployment rate in the principal county in which the municipality is located.

(f) "Municipality" shall mean a city, village, incorporated town, or a township that is located in the unincorporated portion of a county with 3 million or more inhabitants, if the county adopted an ordinance that approved the township's redevelopment plan.

(g) "Initial Sales Tax Amounts" means the amount of taxes paid under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, the Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Municipal Service Occupation Tax Act by retailers and servicemen on transactions at places located in a State Sales Tax Boundary during the calendar year 1985.

(g-1) "Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts" means the amount of taxes paid under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, the Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Municipal Service Occupation Tax Act by retailers and servicemen on transactions at places located within the State Sales Tax Boundary revised pursuant to Section 11-74.4-8a(9) of this Act.

(h) "Municipal Sales Tax Increment" means an amount equal to the increase in the aggregate amount of taxes paid to a municipality from the Local Government Tax Fund arising from sales by retailers and servicemen within the redevelopment project area or State Sales Tax Boundary, as the case may be, for as long as the redevelopment project area or State Sales Tax Boundary, as the case may be, exist over and above the aggregate amount of taxes as certified by the Illinois Department of Revenue and paid under the Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and the Municipal Service Occupation Tax Act by retailers and servicemen, on transactions at places of business located in the redevelopment project area or State Sales Tax Boundary, as the case may be, during the base year which shall be the calendar year immediately prior to the year in which the municipality adopted tax increment allocation financing. For purposes of computing the aggregate amount of such taxes for base years occurring prior to 1985, the Department of Revenue shall determine the Initial Sales Tax Amounts for such taxes and deduct therefrom an amount equal to 4% of the aggregate amount of taxes per year for each year the base year is prior to 1985, but not to exceed a total deduction of 12%. The amount so determined shall be known as the "Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts". For purposes of determining the Municipal Sales Tax Increment, the Department of Revenue shall for each period subtract from the amount paid to the municipality from the Local Government Tax Fund arising from sales by retailers and servicemen on transactions located in the redevelopment project area or the State Sales Tax Boundary, as the case may be, the certified Initial Sales Tax Amounts, the Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts for the Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and the Municipal Service Occupation Tax Act. For the State Fiscal Year 1989, this calculation shall be made by utilizing the calendar year 1987 to determine the tax amounts received. For the State Fiscal Year 1990, this calculation shall be made by utilizing the period from January 1, 1988, until September 30, 1988, to determine the tax amounts received from retailers and servicemen pursuant to the Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax and the Municipal Service Occupation Tax Act, which shall have deducted therefrom nine-twelfths of the certified Initial Sales Tax Amounts, the Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts as appropriate. For the State Fiscal Year 1991, this calculation shall be made by utilizing the period from October 1, 1988, to June 30, 1989, to determine the tax amounts received from retailers and servicemen pursuant to the Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax and the Municipal Service Occupation Tax Act which shall have deducted therefrom nine-twelfths of the certified Initial Sales Tax Amounts, Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts as appropriate. For every State Fiscal Year thereafter, the applicable period shall be the 12 months beginning July 1 and ending June 30 to determine the tax amounts received which shall have deducted therefrom the certified Initial Sales Tax Amounts, the Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts, as the case may be.

(i) "Net State Sales Tax Increment" means the sum of the following: (a) 80% of the first $100,000 of State Sales Tax Increment annually generated within a State Sales Tax Boundary; (b) 60% of the amount in excess of $100,000 but not exceeding $500,000 of State Sales Tax Increment annually generated within a State Sales Tax Boundary; and (c) 40% of all amounts in excess of $500,000 of State Sales Tax Increment annually generated within a State Sales Tax Boundary. If, however, a municipality established a tax increment financing district in a county with a population in excess of 3,000,000 before January 1, 1986, and the municipality entered into a contract or issued bonds after January 1, 1986, but before December 31, 1986, to finance redevelopment project costs within a State Sales Tax Boundary, then the Net State Sales Tax Increment means, for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 1990, and July 1, 1991, 100% of the State Sales Tax Increment annually generated within a State Sales Tax Boundary; and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, for those fiscal years the Department of Revenue shall distribute to those municipalities 100% of their Net State Sales Tax Increment before any distribution to any other municipality and regardless of whether or not those other municipalities will receive 100% of their Net State Sales Tax Increment. For Fiscal Year 1999, and every year thereafter until the year 2007, for any municipality that has not entered into a contract or has not issued bonds prior to June 1, 1988 to finance redevelopment project costs within a State Sales Tax Boundary, the Net State Sales Tax Increment shall be calculated as follows: By multiplying the Net State Sales Tax Increment by 90% in the State Fiscal Year 1999; 80% in the State Fiscal Year 2000; 70% in the State Fiscal Year 2001; 60% in the State Fiscal Year 2002; 50% in the State Fiscal Year 2003; 40% in the State Fiscal Year 2004; 30% in the State Fiscal Year 2005; 20% in the State Fiscal Year 2006; and 10% in the State Fiscal Year 2007. No payment shall be made for State Fiscal Year 2008 and thereafter.

Municipalities that issued bonds in connection with a redevelopment project in a redevelopment project area within the State Sales Tax Boundary prior to July 29, 1991, or that entered into contracts in connection with a redevelopment project in a redevelopment project area before June 1, 1988, shall continue to receive their proportional share of the Illinois Tax Increment Fund distribution until the date on which the redevelopment project is completed or terminated. If, however, a municipality that issued bonds in connection with a redevelopment project in a redevelopment project area within the State Sales Tax Boundary prior to July 29, 1991 retires the bonds prior to June 30, 2007 or a municipality that entered into contracts in connection with a redevelopment project in a redevelopment project area before June 1, 1988 completes the contracts prior to June 30, 2007, then so long as the redevelopment project is not completed or is not terminated, the Net State Sales Tax Increment shall be calculated, beginning on the date on which the bonds are retired or the contracts are completed, as follows: By multiplying the Net State Sales Tax Increment by 60% in the State Fiscal Year 2002; 50% in the State Fiscal Year 2003; 40% in the State Fiscal Year 2004; 30% in the State Fiscal Year 2005; 20% in the State Fiscal Year 2006; and 10% in the State Fiscal Year 2007. No payment shall be made for State Fiscal Year 2008 and thereafter. Refunding of any bonds issued prior to July 29, 1991, shall not alter the Net State Sales Tax Increment.

(j) "State Utility Tax Increment Amount" means an amount equal to the aggregate increase in State electric and gas tax charges imposed on owners and tenants, other than residential customers, of properties located within the redevelopment project area under Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act, over and above the aggregate of such charges as certified by the Department of Revenue and paid by owners and tenants, other than residential customers, of properties within the redevelopment project area during the base year, which shall be the calendar year immediately prior to the year of the adoption of the ordinance authorizing tax increment allocation financing.

(k) "Net State Utility Tax Increment" means the sum of the following: (a) 80% of the first $100,000 of State Utility Tax Increment annually generated by a redevelopment project area; (b) 60% of the amount in excess of $100,000 but not exceeding $500,000 of the State Utility Tax Increment annually generated by a redevelopment project area; and (c) 40% of all amounts in excess of $500,000 of State Utility Tax Increment annually generated by a redevelopment project area. For the State Fiscal Year 1999, and every year thereafter until the year 2007, for any municipality that has not entered into a contract or has not issued bonds prior to June 1, 1988 to finance redevelopment project costs within a redevelopment project area, the Net State Utility Tax Increment shall be calculated as follows: By multiplying the Net State Utility Tax Increment by 90% in the State Fiscal Year 1999; 80% in the State Fiscal Year 2000; 70% in the State Fiscal Year 2001; 60% in the State Fiscal Year 2002; 50% in the State Fiscal Year 2003; 40% in the State Fiscal Year 2004; 30% in the State Fiscal Year 2005; 20% in the State Fiscal Year 2006; and 10% in the State Fiscal Year 2007. No payment shall be made for the State Fiscal Year 2008 and thereafter.

Municipalities that issue bonds in connection with the redevelopment project during the period from June 1, 1988 until 3 years after the effective date of this Amendatory Act of 1988 shall receive the Net State Utility Tax Increment, subject to appropriation, for 15 State Fiscal Years after the issuance of such bonds. For the 16th through the 20th State Fiscal Years after issuance of the bonds, the Net State Utility Tax Increment shall be calculated as follows: By multiplying the Net State Utility Tax Increment by 90% in year 16; 80% in year 17; 70% in year 18; 60% in year 19; and 50% in year 20. Refunding of any bonds issued prior to June 1, 1988, shall not alter the revised Net State Utility Tax Increment payments set forth above.

(l) "Obligations" mean bonds, loans, debentures, notes, special certificates or other evidence of indebtedness issued by the municipality to carry out a redevelopment project or to refund outstanding obligations.

(m) "Payment in lieu of taxes" means those estimated tax revenues from real property in a redevelopment project area derived from real property that has been acquired by a municipality which according to the redevelopment project or plan is to be used for a private use which taxing districts would have received had a municipality not acquired the real property and adopted tax increment allocation financing and which would result from levies made after the time of the adoption of tax increment allocation financing to the time the current equalized value of real property in the redevelopment project area exceeds the total initial equalized value of real property in said area.

(n) "Redevelopment plan" means the comprehensive program of the municipality for development or redevelopment intended by the payment of redevelopment project costs to reduce or eliminate those conditions the existence of which qualified the redevelopment project area as a "blighted area" or "conservation area" or combination thereof or "industrial park conservation area," and thereby to enhance the tax bases of the taxing districts which extend into the redevelopment project area, provided that, with respect to redevelopment project areas described in subsections (p-1) and (p-2), "redevelopment plan" means the comprehensive program of the affected municipality for the development of qualifying transit facilities. On and after November 1, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-478), no redevelopment plan may be approved or amended that includes the development of vacant land (i) with a golf course and related clubhouse and other facilities or (ii) designated by federal, State, county, or municipal government as public land for outdoor recreational activities or for nature preserves and used for that purpose within 5 years prior to the adoption of the redevelopment plan. For the purpose of this subsection, "recreational activities" is limited to mean camping and hunting. Each redevelopment plan shall set forth in writing the program to be undertaken to accomplish the objectives and shall include but not be limited to:

(A) an itemized list of estimated redevelopment project costs;

(B) evidence indicating that the redevelopment project area on the whole has not been subject to growth and development through investment by private enterprise, provided that such evidence shall not be required for any redevelopment project area located within a transit facility improvement area established pursuant to Section 11-74.4-3.3;

(C) an assessment of any financial impact of the redevelopment project area on or any increased demand for services from any taxing district affected by the plan and any program to address such financial impact or increased demand;

(D) the sources of funds to pay costs;

(E) the nature and term of the obligations to be issued;

(F) the most recent equalized assessed valuation of the redevelopment project area;

(G) an estimate as to the equalized assessed valuation after redevelopment and the general land uses to apply in the redevelopment project area;

(H) a commitment to fair employment practices and an affirmative action plan;

(I) if it concerns an industrial park conservation area, the plan shall also include a general description of any proposed developer, user and tenant of any property, a description of the type, structure and general character of the facilities to be developed, a description of the type, class and number of new employees to be employed in the operation of the facilities to be developed; and

(J) if property is to be annexed to the municipality, the plan shall include the terms of the annexation agreement.

The provisions of items (B) and (C) of this subsection (n) shall not apply to a municipality that before March 14, 1994 (the effective date of Public Act 88-537) had fixed, either by its corporate authorities or by a commission designated under subsection (k) of Section 11-74.4-4, a time and place for a public hearing as required by subsection (a) of Section 11-74.4-5. No redevelopment plan shall be adopted unless a municipality complies with all of the following requirements:

(1) The municipality finds that the redevelopment project area on the whole has not been subject to growth and development through investment by private enterprise and would not reasonably be anticipated to be developed without the adoption of the redevelopment plan, provided, however, that such a finding shall not be required with respect to any redevelopment project area located within a transit facility improvement area established pursuant to Section 11-74.4-3.3.

(2) The municipality finds that the redevelopment plan and project conform to the comprehensive plan for the development of the municipality as a whole, or, for municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more, regardless of when the redevelopment plan and project was adopted, the redevelopment plan and project either: (i) conforms to the strategic economic development or redevelopment plan issued by the designated planning authority of the municipality, or (ii) includes land uses that have been approved by the planning commission of the municipality.

(3) The redevelopment plan establishes the estimated dates of completion of the redevelopment project and retirement of obligations issued to finance redevelopment project costs. Those dates may not be later than the dates set forth under Section 11-74.4-3.5.

A municipality may by municipal ordinance amend an existing redevelopment plan to conform to this paragraph (3) as amended by Public Act 91-478, which municipal ordinance may be adopted without further hearing or notice and without complying with the procedures provided in this Act pertaining to an amendment to or the initial approval of a redevelopment plan and project and designation of a redevelopment project area.

(3.5) The municipality finds, in the case of an industrial park conservation area, also that the municipality is a labor surplus municipality and that the implementation of the redevelopment plan will reduce unemployment, create new jobs and by the provision of new facilities enhance the tax base of the taxing districts that extend into the redevelopment project area.

(4) If any incremental revenues are being utilized under Section 8(a)(1) or 8(a)(2) of this Act in redevelopment project areas approved by ordinance after January 1, 1986, the municipality finds: (a) that the redevelopment project area would not reasonably be developed without the use of such incremental revenues, and (b) that such incremental revenues will be exclusively utilized for the development of the redevelopment project area.

(5) If: (a) the redevelopment plan will not result in displacement of residents from 10 or more inhabited residential units, and the municipality certifies in the plan that such displacement will not result from the plan; or (b) the redevelopment plan is for a redevelopment project area or a qualifying transit facility located within a transit facility improvement area established pursuant to Section 11-74.4-3.3, and the applicable project is subject to the process for evaluation of environmental effects under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., then a housing impact study need not be performed. If, however, the redevelopment plan would result in the displacement of residents from 10 or more inhabited residential units, or if the redevelopment project area contains 75 or more inhabited residential units and no certification is made, then the municipality shall prepare, as part of the separate feasibility report required by subsection (a) of Section 11-74.4-5, a housing impact study.

Part I of the housing impact study shall include (i) data as to whether the residential units are single family or multi-family units, (ii) the number and type of rooms within the units, if that information is available, (iii) whether the units are inhabited or uninhabited, as determined not less than 45 days before the date that the ordinance or resolution required by subsection (a) of Section 11-74.4-5 is passed, and (iv) data as to the racial and ethnic composition of the residents in the inhabited residential units. The data requirement as to the racial and ethnic composition of the residents in the inhabited residential units shall be deemed to be fully satisfied by data from the most recent federal census.

Part II of the housing impact study shall identify the inhabited residential units in the proposed redevelopment project area that are to be or may be removed. If inhabited residential units are to be removed, then the housing impact study shall identify (i) the number and location of those units that will or may be removed, (ii) the municipality's plans for relocation assistance for those residents in the proposed redevelopment project area whose residences are to be removed, (iii) the availability of replacement housing for those residents whose residences are to be removed, and shall identify the type, location, and cost of the housing, and (iv) the type and extent of relocation assistance to be provided.

(6) On and after November 1, 1999, the housing impact study required by paragraph (5) shall be incorporated in the redevelopment plan for the redevelopment project area.

(7) On and after November 1, 1999, no redevelopment plan shall be adopted, nor an existing plan amended, nor shall residential housing that is occupied by households of low-income and very low-income persons in currently existing redevelopment project areas be removed after November 1, 1999 unless the redevelopment plan provides, with respect to inhabited housing units that are to be removed for households of low-income and very low-income persons, affordable housing and relocation assistance not less than that which would be provided under the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 and the regulations under that Act, including the eligibility criteria. Affordable housing may be either existing or newly constructed housing. For purposes of this paragraph (7), "low-income households", "very low-income households", and "affordable housing" have the meanings set forth in the Illinois Affordable Housing Act. The municipality shall make a good faith effort to ensure that this affordable housing is located in or near the redevelopment project area within the municipality.

(8) On and after November 1, 1999, if, after the adoption of the redevelopment plan for the redevelopment project area, any municipality desires to amend its redevelopment plan to remove more inhabited residential units than specified in its original redevelopment plan, that change shall be made in accordance with the procedures in subsection (c) of Section 11-74.4-5.

(9) For redevelopment project areas designated prior to November 1, 1999, the redevelopment plan may be amended without further joint review board meeting or hearing, provided that the municipality shall give notice of any such changes by mail to each affected taxing district and registrant on the interested party registry, to authorize the municipality to expend tax increment revenues for redevelopment project costs defined by paragraphs (5) and (7.5), subparagraphs (E) and (F) of paragraph (11), and paragraph (11.5) of subsection (q) of Section 11-74.4-3, so long as the changes do not increase the total estimated redevelopment project costs set out in the redevelopment plan by more than 5% after adjustment for inflation from the date the plan was adopted.

(o) "Redevelopment project" means any public and private development project in furtherance of the objectives of a redevelopment plan. On and after November 1, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-478), no redevelopment plan may be approved or amended that includes the development of vacant land (i) with a golf course and related clubhouse and other facilities or (ii) designated by federal, State, county, or municipal government as public land for outdoor recreational activities or for nature preserves and used for that purpose within 5 years prior to the adoption of the redevelopment plan. For the purpose of this subsection, "recreational activities" is limited to mean camping and hunting.

(p) "Redevelopment project area" means an area designated by the municipality, which is not less in the aggregate than 1 1/2 acres and in respect to which the municipality has made a finding that there exist conditions which cause the area to be classified as an industrial park conservation area or a blighted area or a conservation area, or a combination of both blighted areas and conservation areas.

(p-1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act to the contrary, on and after August 25, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act 96-680), a redevelopment project area may include areas within a one-half mile radius of an existing or proposed Regional Transportation Authority Suburban Transit Access Route (STAR Line) station without a finding that the area is classified as an industrial park conservation area, a blighted area, a conservation area, or a combination thereof, but only if the municipality receives unanimous consent from the joint review board created to review the proposed redevelopment project area.

(p-2) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act to the contrary, on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, a redevelopment project area may include areas within a transit facility improvement area that has been established pursuant to Section 11-74.4-3.3 without a finding that the area is classified as an industrial park conservation area, a blighted area, a conservation area, or any combination thereof.

(q) "Redevelopment project costs", except for redevelopment project areas created pursuant to subsection (p-1) or (p-2), means and includes the sum total of all reasonable or necessary costs incurred or estimated to be incurred, and any such costs incidental to a redevelopment plan and a redevelopment project. Such costs include, without limitation, the following:

(1) Costs of studies, surveys, development of plans, and specifications, implementation and administration of the redevelopment plan including but not limited to staff and professional service costs for architectural, engineering, legal, financial, planning or other services, provided however that no charges for professional services may be based on a percentage of the tax increment collected; except that on and after November 1, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-478), no contracts for professional services, excluding architectural and engineering services, may be entered into if the terms of the contract extend beyond a period of 3 years. In addition, "redevelopment project costs" shall not include lobbying expenses. After consultation with the municipality, each tax increment consultant or advisor to a municipality that plans to designate or has designated a redevelopment project area shall inform the municipality in writing of any contracts that the consultant or advisor has entered into with entities or individuals that have received, or are receiving, payments financed by tax increment revenues produced by the redevelopment project area with respect to which the consultant or advisor has performed, or will be performing, service for the municipality. This requirement shall be satisfied by the consultant or advisor before the commencement of services for the municipality and thereafter whenever any other contracts with those individuals or entities are executed by the consultant or advisor;

(1.5) After July 1, 1999, annual administrative costs shall not include general overhead or administrative costs of the municipality that would still have been incurred by the municipality if the municipality had not designated a redevelopment project area or approved a redevelopment plan;

(1.6) The cost of marketing sites within the redevelopment project area to prospective businesses, developers, and investors;

(2) Property assembly costs, including but not limited to acquisition of land and other property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein, demolition of buildings, site preparation, site improvements that serve as an engineered barrier addressing ground level or below ground environmental contamination, including, but not limited to parking lots and other concrete or asphalt barriers, and the clearing and grading of land;

(3) Costs of rehabilitation, reconstruction or repair or remodeling of existing public or private buildings, fixtures, and leasehold improvements; and the cost of replacing an existing public building if pursuant to the implementation of a redevelopment project the existing public building is to be demolished to use the site for private investment or devoted to a different use requiring private investment; including any direct or indirect costs relating to Green Globes or LEED certified construction elements or construction elements with an equivalent certification;

(4) Costs of the construction of public works or improvements, including any direct or indirect costs relating to Green Globes or LEED certified construction elements or construction elements with an equivalent certification, except that on and after November 1, 1999, redevelopment project costs shall not include the cost of constructing a new municipal public building principally used to provide offices, storage space, or conference facilities or vehicle storage, maintenance, or repair for administrative, public safety, or public works personnel and that is not intended to replace an existing public building as provided under paragraph (3) of subsection (q) of Section 11-74.4-3 unless either (i) the construction of the new municipal building implements a redevelopment project that was included in a redevelopment plan that was adopted by the municipality prior to November 1, 1999, (ii) the municipality makes a reasonable determination in the redevelopment plan, supported by information that provides the basis for that determination, that the new municipal building is required to meet an increase in the need for public safety purposes anticipated to result from the implementation of the redevelopment plan, or (iii) the new municipal public building is for the storage, maintenance, or repair of transit vehicles and is located in a transit facility improvement area that has been established pursuant to Section 11-74.4-3.3;

(5) Costs of job training and retraining projects, including the cost of "welfare to work" programs implemented by businesses located within the redevelopment project area;

(6) Financing costs, including but not limited to all necessary and incidental expenses related to the issuance of obligations and which may include payment of interest on any obligations issued hereunder including interest accruing during the estimated period of construction of any redevelopment project for which such obligations are issued and for not exceeding 36 months thereafter and including reasonable reserves related thereto;

(7) To the extent the municipality by written agreement accepts and approves the same, all or a portion of a taxing district's capital costs resulting from the redevelopment project necessarily incurred or to be incurred within a taxing district in furtherance of the objectives of the redevelopment plan and project;

(7.5) For redevelopment project areas designated (or redevelopment project areas amended to add or increase the number of tax-increment-financing assisted housing units) on or after November 1, 1999, an elementary, secondary, or unit school district's increased costs attributable to assisted housing units located within the redevelopment project area for which the developer or redeveloper receives financial assistance through an agreement with the municipality or because the municipality incurs the cost of necessary infrastructure improvements within the boundaries of the assisted housing sites necessary for the completion of that housing as authorized by this Act, and which costs shall be paid by the municipality from the Special Tax Allocation Fund when the tax increment revenue is received as a result of the assisted housing units and shall be calculated annually as follows:

(A) for foundation districts, excluding any school district in a municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000, by multiplying the district's increase in attendance resulting from the net increase in new students enrolled in that school district who reside in housing units within the redevelopment project area that have received financial assistance through an agreement with the municipality or because the municipality incurs the cost of necessary infrastructure improvements within the boundaries of the housing sites necessary for the completion of that housing as authorized by this Act since the designation of the redevelopment project area by the most recently available per capita tuition cost as defined in Section 10-20.12a of the School Code less any increase in general State aid as defined in Section 18-8.05 of the School Code or evidence-based funding as defined in Section 18-8.15 of the School Code attributable to these added new students subject to the following annual limitations:

(i) for unit school districts with a district average 1995-96 Per Capita Tuition Charge of less than $5,900, no more than 25% of the total amount of property tax increment revenue produced by those housing units that have received tax increment finance assistance under this Act;

(ii) for elementary school districts with a district average 1995-96 Per Capita Tuition Charge of less than $5,900, no more than 17% of the total amount of property tax increment revenue produced by those housing units that have received tax increment finance assistance under this Act; and

(iii) for secondary school districts with a district average 1995-96 Per Capita Tuition Charge of less than $5,900, no more than 8% of the total amount of property tax increment revenue produced by those housing units that have received tax increment finance assistance under this Act.

(B) For alternate method districts, flat grant districts, and foundation districts with a district average 1995-96 Per Capita Tuition Charge equal to or more than $5,900, excluding any school district with a population in excess of 1,000,000, by multiplying the district's increase in attendance resulting from the net increase in new students enrolled in that school district who reside in housing units within the redevelopment project area that have received financial assistance through an agreement with the municipality or because the municipality incurs the cost of necessary infrastructure improvements within the boundaries of the housing sites necessary for the completion of that housing as authorized by this Act since the designation of the redevelopment project area by the most recently available per capita tuition cost as defined in Section 10-20.12a of the School Code less any increase in general state aid as defined in Section 18-8.05 of the School Code or evidence-based funding as defined in Section 18-8.15 of the School Code attributable to these added new students subject to the following annual limitations:

(i) for unit school districts, no more than 40% of the total amount of property tax increment revenue produced by those housing units that have received tax increment finance assistance under this Act;

(ii) for elementary school districts, no more than 27% of the total amount of property tax increment revenue produced by those housing units that have received tax increment finance assistance under this Act; and

(iii) for secondary school districts, no more than 13% of the total amount of property tax increment revenue produced by those housing units that have received tax increment finance assistance under this Act.

(C) For any school district in a municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000, the following restrictions shall apply to the reimbursement of increased costs under this paragraph (7.5):

(i) no increased costs shall be reimbursed unless the school district certifies that each of the schools affected by the assisted housing project is at or over its student capacity;

(ii) the amount reimbursable shall be reduced by the value of any land donated to the school district by the municipality or developer, and by the value of any physical improvements made to the schools by the municipality or developer; and

(iii) the amount reimbursed may not affect amounts otherwise obligated by the terms of any bonds, notes, or other funding instruments, or the terms of any redevelopment agreement.

Any school district seeking payment under this paragraph (7.5) shall, after July 1 and before September 30 of each year, provide the municipality with reasonable evidence to support its claim for reimbursement before the municipality shall be required to approve or make the payment to the school district. If the school district fails to provide the information during this period in any year, it shall forfeit any claim to reimbursement for that year. School districts may adopt a resolution waiving the right to all or a portion of the reimbursement otherwise required by this paragraph (7.5). By acceptance of this reimbursement the school district waives the right to directly or indirectly set aside, modify, or contest in any manner the establishment of the redevelopment project area or projects;

(7.7) For redevelopment project areas designated (or redevelopment project areas amended to add or increase the number of tax-increment-financing assisted housing units) on or after January 1, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 93-961), a public library district's increased costs attributable to assisted housing units located within the redevelopment project area for which the developer or redeveloper receives financial assistance through an agreement with the municipality or because the municipality incurs the cost of necessary infrastructure improvements within the boundaries of the assisted housing sites necessary for the completion of that housing as authorized by this Act shall be paid to the library district by the municipality from the Special Tax Allocation Fund when the tax increment revenue is received as a result of the assisted housing units. This paragraph (7.7) applies only if (i) the library district is located in a county that is subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law or (ii) the library district is not located in a county that is subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law but the district is prohibited by any other law from increasing its tax levy rate without a prior voter referendum.

The amount paid to a library district under this paragraph (7.7) shall be calculated by multiplying (i) the net increase in the number of persons eligible to obtain a library card in that district who reside in housing units within the redevelopment project area that have received financial assistance through an agreement with the municipality or because the municipality incurs the cost of necessary infrastructure improvements within the boundaries of the housing sites necessary for the completion of that housing as authorized by this Act since the designation of the redevelopment project area by (ii) the per-patron cost of providing library services so long as it does not exceed $120. The per-patron cost shall be the Total Operating Expenditures Per Capita for the library in the previous fiscal year. The municipality may deduct from the amount that it must pay to a library district under this paragraph any amount that it has voluntarily paid to the library district from the tax increment revenue. The amount paid to a library district under this paragraph (7.7) shall be no more than 2% of the amount produced by the assisted housing units and deposited into the Special Tax Allocation Fund.

A library district is not eligible for any payment under this paragraph (7.7) unless the library district has experienced an increase in the number of patrons from the municipality that created the tax-increment-financing district since the designation of the redevelopment project area.

Any library district seeking payment under this paragraph (7.7) shall, after July 1 and before September 30 of each year, provide the municipality with convincing evidence to support its claim for reimbursement before the municipality shall be required to approve or make the payment to the library district. If the library district fails to provide the information during this period in any year, it shall forfeit any claim to reimbursement for that year. Library districts may adopt a resolution waiving the right to all or a portion of the reimbursement otherwise required by this paragraph (7.7). By acceptance of such reimbursement, the library district shall forfeit any right to directly or indirectly set aside, modify, or contest in any manner whatsoever the establishment of the redevelopment project area or projects;

(8) Relocation costs to the extent that a municipality determines that relocation costs shall be paid or is required to make payment of relocation costs by federal or State law or in order to satisfy subparagraph (7) of subsection (n);

(9) Payment in lieu of taxes;

(10) Costs of job training, retraining, advanced vocational education or career education, including but not limited to courses in occupational, semi-technical or technical fields leading directly to employment, incurred by one or more taxing districts, provided that such costs (i) are related to the establishment and maintenance of additional job training, advanced vocational education or career education programs for persons employed or to be employed by employers located in a redevelopment project area; and (ii) when incurred by a taxing district or taxing districts other than the municipality, are set forth in a written agreement by or among the municipality and the taxing district or taxing districts, which agreement describes the program to be undertaken, including but not limited to the number of employees to be trained, a description of the training and services to be provided, the number and type of positions available or to be available, itemized costs of the program and sources of funds to pay for the same, and the term of the agreement. Such costs include, specifically, the payment by community college districts of costs pursuant to Sections 3-37, 3-38, 3-40 and 3-40.1 of the Public Community College Act and by school districts of costs pursuant to Sections 10-22.20a and 10-23.3a of the School Code;

(11) Interest cost incurred by a redeveloper related to the construction, renovation or rehabilitation of a redevelopment project provided that:

(A) such costs are to be paid directly from the special tax allocation fund established pursuant to this Act;

(B) such payments in any one year may not exceed 30% of the annual interest costs incurred by the redeveloper with regard to the redevelopment project during that year;

(C) if there are not sufficient funds available in the special tax allocation fund to make the payment pursuant to this paragraph (11) then the amounts so due shall accrue and be payable when sufficient funds are available in the special tax allocation fund;

(D) the total of such interest payments paid pursuant to this Act may not exceed 30% of the total (i) cost paid or incurred by the redeveloper for the redevelopment project plus (ii) redevelopment project costs excluding any property assembly costs and any relocation costs incurred by a municipality pursuant to this Act;

(E) the cost limits set forth in subparagraphs (B) and (D) of paragraph (11) shall be modified for the financing of rehabilitated or new housing units for low-income households and very low-income households, as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Affordable Housing Act. The percentage of 75% shall be substituted for 30% in subparagraphs (B) and (D) of paragraph (11); and

(F) instead of the eligible costs provided by subparagraphs (B) and (D) of paragraph (11), as modified by this subparagraph, and notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act to the contrary, the municipality may pay from tax increment revenues up to 50% of the cost of construction of new housing units to be occupied by low-income households and very low-income households as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Affordable Housing Act. The cost of construction of those units may be derived from the proceeds of bonds issued by the municipality under this Act or other constitutional or statutory authority or from other sources of municipal revenue that may be reimbursed from tax increment revenues or the proceeds of bonds issued to finance the construction of that housing.

The eligible costs provided under this subparagraph (F) of paragraph (11) shall be an eligible cost for the construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of all low and very low-income housing units, as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Affordable Housing Act, within the redevelopment project area. If the low and very low-income units are part of a residential redevelopment project that includes units not affordable to low and very low-income households, only the low and very low-income units shall be eligible for benefits under this subparagraph (F) of paragraph (11). The standards for maintaining the occupancy by low-income households and very low-income households, as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Affordable Housing Act, of those units constructed with eligible costs made available under the provisions of this subparagraph (F) of paragraph (11) shall be established by guidelines adopted by the municipality. The responsibility for annually documenting the initial occupancy of the units by low-income households and very low-income households, as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Affordable Housing Act, shall be that of the then current owner of the property. For ownership units, the guidelines will provide, at a minimum, for a reasonable recapture of funds, or other appropriate methods designed to preserve the original affordability of the ownership units. For rental units, the guidelines will provide, at a minimum, for the affordability of rent to low and very low-income households. As units become available, they shall be rented to income-eligible tenants. The municipality may modify these guidelines from time to time; the guidelines, however, shall be in effect for as long as tax increment revenue is being used to pay for costs associated with the units or for the retirement of bonds issued to finance the units or for the life of the redevelopment project area, whichever is later;

(11.5) If the redevelopment project area is located within a municipality with a population of more than 100,000, the cost of day care services for children of employees from low-income families working for businesses located within the redevelopment project area and all or a portion of the cost of operation of day care centers established by redevelopment project area businesses to serve employees from low-income families working in businesses located in the redevelopment project area. For the purposes of this paragraph, "low-income families" means families whose annual income does not exceed 80% of the municipal, county, or regional median income, adjusted for family size, as the annual income and municipal, county, or regional median income are determined from time to time by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(12) Costs relating to the development of urban agricultural areas under Division 15.2 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

Unless explicitly stated herein the cost of construction of new privately-owned buildings shall not be an eligible redevelopment project cost.

After November 1, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-478), none of the redevelopment project costs enumerated in this subsection shall be eligible redevelopment project costs if those costs would provide direct financial support to a retail entity initiating operations in the redevelopment project area while terminating operations at another Illinois location within 10 miles of the redevelopment project area but outside the boundaries of the redevelopment project area municipality. For purposes of this paragraph, termination means a closing of a retail operation that is directly related to the opening of the same operation or like retail entity owned or operated by more than 50% of the original ownership in a redevelopment project area, but it does not mean closing an operation for reasons beyond the control of the retail entity, as documented by the retail entity, subject to a reasonable finding by the municipality that the current location contained inadequate space, had become economically obsolete, or was no longer a viable location for the retailer or serviceman.

No cost shall be a redevelopment project cost in a redevelopment project area if used to demolish, remove, or substantially modify a historic resource, after August 26, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-934), unless no prudent and feasible alternative exists. "Historic resource" for the purpose of this paragraph means (i) a place or structure that is included or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places or (ii) a contributing structure in a district on the National Register of Historic Places. This paragraph does not apply to a place or structure for which demolition, removal, or modification is subject to review by the preservation agency of a Certified Local Government designated as such by the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior.

If a special service area has been established pursuant to the Special Service Area Tax Act or Special Service Area Tax Law, then any tax increment revenues derived from the tax imposed pursuant to the Special Service Area Tax Act or Special Service Area Tax Law may be used within the redevelopment project area for the purposes permitted by that Act or Law as well as the purposes permitted by this Act.

(q-1) For redevelopment project areas created pursuant to subsection (p-1), redevelopment project costs are limited to those costs in paragraph (q) that are related to the existing or proposed Regional Transportation Authority Suburban Transit Access Route (STAR Line) station.

(q-2) For a transit facility improvement area established prior to, on, or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly: (i) "redevelopment project costs" means those costs described in subsection (q) that are related to the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, remodeling, or repair of any existing or proposed transit facility, whether that facility is located within or outside the boundaries of a redevelopment project area established within that transit facility improvement area (and, to the extent a redevelopment project cost is described in subsection (q) as incurred or estimated to be incurred with respect to a redevelopment project area, then it shall apply with respect to such transit facility improvement area); and (ii) the provisions of Section 11-74.4-8 regarding tax increment allocation financing for a redevelopment project area located in a transit facility improvement area shall apply only to the lots, blocks, tracts and parcels of real property that are located within the boundaries of that redevelopment project area and not to the lots, blocks, tracts, and parcels of real property that are located outside the boundaries of that redevelopment project area.

(r) "State Sales Tax Boundary" means the redevelopment project area or the amended redevelopment project area boundaries which are determined pursuant to subsection (9) of Section 11-74.4-8a of this Act. The Department of Revenue shall certify pursuant to subsection (9) of Section 11-74.4-8a the appropriate boundaries eligible for the determination of State Sales Tax Increment.

(s) "State Sales Tax Increment" means an amount equal to the increase in the aggregate amount of taxes paid by retailers and servicemen, other than retailers and servicemen subject to the Public Utilities Act, on transactions at places of business located within a State Sales Tax Boundary pursuant to the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, and the Service Occupation Tax Act, except such portion of such increase that is paid into the State and Local Sales Tax Reform Fund, the Local Government Distributive Fund, the Local Government Tax Fund and the County and Mass Transit District Fund, for as long as State participation exists, over and above the Initial Sales Tax Amounts, Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts for such taxes as certified by the Department of Revenue and paid under those Acts by retailers and servicemen on transactions at places of business located within the State Sales Tax Boundary during the base year which shall be the calendar year immediately prior to the year in which the municipality adopted tax increment allocation financing, less 3.0% of such amounts generated under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, Use Tax Act and Service Use Tax Act and the Service Occupation Tax Act, which sum shall be appropriated to the Department of Revenue to cover its costs of administering and enforcing this Section. For purposes of computing the aggregate amount of such taxes for base years occurring prior to 1985, the Department of Revenue shall compute the Initial Sales Tax Amount for such taxes and deduct therefrom an amount equal to 4% of the aggregate amount of taxes per year for each year the base year is prior to 1985, but not to exceed a total deduction of 12%. The amount so determined shall be known as the "Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amount". For purposes of determining the State Sales Tax Increment the Department of Revenue shall for each period subtract from the tax amounts received from retailers and servicemen on transactions located in the State Sales Tax Boundary, the certified Initial Sales Tax Amounts, Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts for the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act and the Service Occupation Tax Act. For the State Fiscal Year 1989 this calculation shall be made by utilizing the calendar year 1987 to determine the tax amounts received. For the State Fiscal Year 1990, this calculation shall be made by utilizing the period from January 1, 1988, until September 30, 1988, to determine the tax amounts received from retailers and servicemen, which shall have deducted therefrom nine-twelfths of the certified Initial Sales Tax Amounts, Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts as appropriate. For the State Fiscal Year 1991, this calculation shall be made by utilizing the period from October 1, 1988, until June 30, 1989, to determine the tax amounts received from retailers and servicemen, which shall have deducted therefrom nine-twelfths of the certified Initial State Sales Tax Amounts, Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts as appropriate. For every State Fiscal Year thereafter, the applicable period shall be the 12 months beginning July 1 and ending on June 30, to determine the tax amounts received which shall have deducted therefrom the certified Initial Sales Tax Amounts, Adjusted Initial Sales Tax Amounts or the Revised Initial Sales Tax Amounts. Municipalities intending to receive a distribution of State Sales Tax Increment must report a list of retailers to the Department of Revenue by October 31, 1988 and by July 31, of each year thereafter.

(t) "Taxing districts" means counties, townships, cities and incorporated towns and villages, school, road, park, sanitary, mosquito abatement, forest preserve, public health, fire protection, river conservancy, tuberculosis sanitarium and any other municipal corporations or districts with the power to levy taxes.

(u) "Taxing districts' capital costs" means those costs of taxing districts for capital improvements that are found by the municipal corporate authorities to be necessary and directly result from the redevelopment project.

(v) As used in subsection (a) of Section 11-74.4-3 of this Act, "vacant land" means any parcel or combination of parcels of real property without industrial, commercial, and residential buildings which has not been used for commercial agricultural purposes within 5 years prior to the designation of the redevelopment project area, unless the parcel is included in an industrial park conservation area or the parcel has been subdivided; provided that if the parcel was part of a larger tract that has been divided into 3 or more smaller tracts that were accepted for recording during the period from 1950 to 1990, then the parcel shall be deemed to have been subdivided, and all proceedings and actions of the municipality taken in that connection with respect to any previously approved or designated redevelopment project area or amended redevelopment project area are hereby validated and hereby declared to be legally sufficient for all purposes of this Act. For purposes of this Section and only for land subject to the subdivision requirements of the Plat Act, land is subdivided when the original plat of the proposed Redevelopment Project Area or relevant portion thereof has been properly certified, acknowledged, approved, and recorded or filed in accordance with the Plat Act and a preliminary plat, if any, for any subsequent phases of the proposed Redevelopment Project Area or relevant portion thereof has been properly approved and filed in accordance with the applicable ordinance of the municipality.

(w) "Annual Total Increment" means the sum of each municipality's annual Net Sales Tax Increment and each municipality's annual Net Utility Tax Increment. The ratio of the Annual Total Increment of each municipality to the Annual Total Increment for all municipalities, as most recently calculated by the Department, shall determine the proportional shares of the Illinois Tax Increment Fund to be distributed to each municipality.

(x) "LEED certified" means any certification level of construction elements by a qualified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional as determined by the U.S. Green Building Council.

(y) "Green Globes certified" means any certification level of construction elements by a qualified Green Globes Professional as determined by the Green Building Initiative.

(Source: P.A. 102-627, eff. 8-27-21.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-3.1)

Sec. 11-74.4-3.1. Redevelopment project area within an intermodal terminal facility area.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, if a municipality designates an area within the territorial limits of the municipality as an intermodal terminal facility area, then that municipality may establish a redevelopment project area within the intermodal terminal facility area for the purpose of developing new intermodal terminal facilities, rehabilitating obsolete intermodal terminal facilities, or both. If there is no existing intermodal terminal facility within the redevelopment project area, then the municipality must establish a new intermodal terminal facility within the redevelopment project area. If there is an obsolete intermodal terminal facility within the redevelopment project area, then the municipality may establish a new intermodal terminal facility, rehabilitate the existing intermodal terminal facility for use as an intermodal terminal facility or for any other commercial purpose, or both.

(b) For purposes of this Division, an intermodal terminal facility area is deemed to be a blighted area and no proof of blight need be shown in establishing a redevelopment project area in accordance with this Section.

(c) As used in this Section:

"Intermodal terminal facility area" means an area that: (i) does not include any existing intermodal terminal facility or includes an obsolete intermodal terminal facility; (ii) comprises a minimum of 150 acres and not more than 2 square miles in total area, exclusive of lakes and waterways; (iii) has at least one Class 1 railroad right-of-way located within it or within one quarter mile of it; and (iv) has no boundary limit further than 3 miles from the right-of-way.

"Intermodal terminal facility" means land, improvements to land, equipment, and appliances necessary for the receipt and transfer of goods between one mode of transportation and another, at least one of which must be transportation by rail.

(Source: P.A. 94-546, eff. 1-1-06.)