URBAN RENEWAL THROUGH
B&O TAX CREDITS
Presented by Tim Gentilozzi
2009 Candidate for Clarksburg City Council
Read more at my website: www.clarksburg.com
GOALS OF PROGRAM
Create an incentive for families, investors
and business people to invest in
Clarksburg
 Protect the areas around our schools and
parks
 Reinvest in and renovate blighted areas
 Revitalize our downtown and protect our
historical structures/landmarks
 Change the perception of Clarksburg
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Create an Incentive
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Reward investors who take risks.
Provide a $1 for $1 tax credit for every $1 invested into remodeling or
building structures/ starting businesses within certain parts of our city
(exclude major shopping areas located on I-79 as THF Realty already
benefited from a similar program not yet offered to others).
Provide a $2 for $1 tax credit for every $1 invested into remodeling or
building structures/businesses within designated “blighted areas” and
around schools and parks.
Provide a $3 for $1 tax credit to investors who purchase dilapidated or
condemned structures as defined by Clarksburg’s Code Enforcement and
either raze, remodel or build new. This will save the city significant money
in razing, administrative, legal and maintenance expense.
Exclude the purchase price of the property when calculating the tax credit
so only purchases of property in need of significant renovation/investment
would really benefit from the program. This would also eliminate the
practice of “shell sales” where owners would conduct sales amongst related
entities in order to get the tax credit.
Protect our Schools and Parks
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An American Institute of Architects report in 2005 “Schools as Catalysts for
Community Development” wrote that schools play a critical role in
rebuilding America’s cities. They state that no public or private building
type is as important as a school.
Create a special zone around schools and parks increasing the tax credit
($2 for $1) similar to blighted areas will help ensure that we protect these
designated areas from becoming eyesores like the area around WIMS.
Perception that Bridgeport schools are superior is part of the reason that
Clarksburg is not drawing young families and investment into its
neighborhoods. Making a conscious effort to protect our schools and parks
will only help change that perception.
We need to change this perception immediately by being aggressive in our
demolition efforts around schools and parks, and also by offering a tax
incentive to invest in these areas.
A combined plan of demolition along with tax credits may create headlines
“Clarksburg Working to Improve Areas Around Local Schools and Parks”.
Reinvest Back in Blighted Areas
Identify areas of blight and declare them as such, and include all condemned
structures as areas of blight.
 Offer a $2 for $1 tax credit for every $1 spent to raze, remodel or build a
structure, or start a business in these designated areas and a $3 for $1 tax
credit for investments in condemned structures no matter where they are
located within the city.
 Providing a $3 for $1 tax credit to investors who purchase dilapidated or
condemned structures as defined by Clarksburg’s Code Enforcement will save
the city significant money in the razing, administrative, legal and
maintenance costs associated with the demolition of these properties and
provide an incentive for investors to invest in condemned properties.
 Create a marketing plan and work with local realtors in order to market the
program. List all properties owned by the City (ie: Adamston Flat Glass) or
owned by private owners willing to participate in the program in order to
provide a conduit for investors to find and purchase properties located in
designated blighted areas.
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Revitalize Our Downtown-Protect
Historical Structures/Landmarks
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Much of downtown still contains aging structures that need significant
investment. Any investment in these structures helps preserve and
revitalize our downtown. Provide a $1 for $1 tax credit for investing in the
downtown business district.
Provide $2 for $1 tax credit on renovations of all designated historical
structures located in the downtown like the Waldo and Robinson Grand
Theater.
Relax the fire codes on aging structures as enforcement of the current
codes in impossible as it would force the closure of most of our taller(3
stories and up) buildings downtown.
Having these codes on the books but not enforcing them only stifles new
investment as investors may be concerned these codes may be arbitrarily
enforced against them. The risk of enforcement alone is enough to scare
off most, prudent investors as the cost of compliance would make most of
their investments unprofitable.
Provide a special, increased tax credit to larger businesses who locate in the
downtown area as other businesses downtown depend on the foot traffic.
This is especially important due to the loss of Steptoe and Johnson the near
future.
Change the perception
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Cleaning up our city and the areas around our schools and parks will
only improve the perception people have of Clarksburg.
Create an environment where investment is rewarded.
We need a demolition program that has well defined goals and
objectives like the WIMS campus expansion project. Remember
some of your children and grandchildren attend or will attend these
schools.
Revitalizing and reinvesting in our downtown will only make our
community more attractive to prospective business owners and their
patrons.
Learn to work together. Have well defined goals and develop a
marketing plan necessary to achieve these goals.
We can no longer sit back, squabble and hope that something good
happens in our city. We need an aggressive, bold plan that will
facilitate investment in our city.
VOTE FOR TIM GENTILOZZI
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Promise to work hard to make sure our community
improves in all areas.
Will concentrate my efforts on economic revitalization
and historic preservation.
Special emphasis will be placed on efforts designed to
improve the areas around our schools and parks.
Promise to treat everyone with respect no matter what
their position is on the issues presented before the City
Council.
Please support my efforts. Call me directly at 304-6695826, visit my website at www.clarksburg.com or e-mail
me at tg@iolinc.net. Your support is the key to our
success. Thank you for your time.