EDWARDSVILLE — A lively debate sprung up among various city alderpeople Tuesday when it came to an ordinance that abates the educational impact fee until Dec. 31, 2022. In the end, they voted 6-1, to abate with Alderman SJ Morrison dissenting.
“I think everyone knows by now that I’m opposed to abating the impact fee,” said Morrison, leading off the discussion ahead of the vote. “For decades, here in Edwardsville, our policy has been ‘growth pays for growth.’ One way [that happens] is through the educational impact fees. It was a way of shifting the burden of growth away from all of the existing property taxpayers and onto just the development itself.”
Morrison said he is concerned that if the abatement passed, it will not return. If this is successful and increases growth, District 7 will need to improve or expand its facilities without the ability to fall back on the education impact fees. He asked where the funds will come from instead – the existing taxpayers.
“I think this is a mistake,” Morrison said. “I really believe that it’s also a false premise. The premise is that if we don’t get rid of the educational impact fees, then we won’t get more residential growth. Earlier this meeting, we saw a plan commission approval of a 121-new home subdivision on New Poag Road. I simply don’t believe the education impact fee is a hindrance to growth in this community.”
Morrison said education is part of the city’s brand. It’s who they are and it’s part of their DNA.
The Educational Facilities Impact Fee was adopted on June 1, 2004. The purpose was to assist District 7 by providing for future needs of additional schools and building sites. This is achieved by requiring the dedication of land or the payment in lieu of dedication for all new, single-family subdivisions (included planned unit developments, or PUDs). The thinking at that time was that the continued growth of communities within District 7 would result in a greater need for new schools.
However, District 7’s enrollment has dropped more than 200 students since 2013 and family residential building permits have also fallen. In 2018, 53 such permits were issued; last year it was 44 and so far in 2021, 10 building permits have been issued. Thus, came the idea to abate the fee to give all stakeholders time to revise it for 2023.
Alderwoman Elizabeth Grant said she was on the YES committees to build Cassens and Goshen elementary schools.
“I fully believe that we needed those schools,” she said. “I don’t think that Edwardsville is experiencing the growth that we were at that time and I don’t see why we would foot that bill as Edwardsville when other towns aren’t doing the same thing.”
District 7 board members did not take a formal vote on this item, according to Alderman William Krause, and there was no negative feedback to enacting a moratorium until the end of next year. Glen Carbon already agreed to the abatement.
“If this is successful, it’s a gesture on our part to support the developers,” said Alderman Jack Burns.
“What about the taxpayers that we represent?” Morrison replied.
“Well, we have to support our businesses, too,” Burns said.
Krause jumped in.
“The impact fee has been collected for close to 20 years,” he said. “I know administrations change but the only expenditure for those impact fees did not go to build a new school; it did not go to build a parking lot. We’re not talking about giving kids new laptops, new lockers, improved classrooms or improved technology within those classrooms.”
Krause continued by saying those items are things that that the school board looks at while the city should consider revising the ordinance as to what the money can be used for so in the future, the facilities and items within can truly be upgraded.
Burns said the original ordinance verbiage is very vague and the definition differs depending on to whom you speak.
“I’ve shared with several of you that we’re the only city charging this,” Mayor Art Risavy interjected. “This has been brought up in front of me and in front of other developers, saying that other cities are more attractive than ours because they’re not charging the fee.”
Risavy said he has had developers tell him they will reduce the prices of their builds based off of the fee. New residents get a bill that reads ‘educational impact fee.’ Sometimes, people have paid the fee as many as three times, he said.
Krause thinks the original ordinance needs to be reworked and that this moratorium gives the council and District 7’s board time to do that.
The next city council meeting is Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. in city hall, 118 Hillsboro Ave.
Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735
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Edwardsville impact fee abated through end of 2022 - The Edwardsville Intelligencer
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