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1 � ♦ I <br /> L � I <br /> rV � <br /> � i I <br /> J , 1 , � <br /> CITY OF DECATUR <br /> TAX INCREMENT FINAI�TCING �, <br /> REDEVELOPME�iT PLAN i <br /> I INTRODUCTION II�� <br /> 1900 and 1980 the Ci of Decatur's o ulation steadily increased. II <br /> Between , ty P P <br /> The City grew from a population of less than 21,000 in 1900 to over 94,000 by ''� <br /> 1980. As new people entered the community, new homes were built to ' <br /> accommodate these new individuals. These new residents brought new tax dollars ', <br /> to the community in the form of sales, real estate, and motor fuel taxes which were <br /> used to provide City services and maintai.n public infrastructure. � <br /> However, between 1980 and today, popularion in Decatur has declined. '� <br /> Between 1980 and 1990 the population fell from over 94,000 to less than 84,000 I <br /> people--a 10.64% decrease. This ten year decrease set the City back almost thirty . , <br /> years to its population level in the year 1960. 'I <br /> Further, Decatur has maintained an unusually high unemployment rate over ' <br /> the last 10 years. Throughout this period of time, the City of Decatur has averaged <br /> between 2 and 3 percentage points above the annual state unemployment rate, and <br /> between 2 and 4 percentage points above the narional unemployment rate. Trends <br /> such as these are obviously detrimental to the economic well being of the City. <br /> Ho��ever, over the past couple of years, it appears the City of Decatur has been <br /> making significant strides and efforts to reverse these trends. Residential, <br /> industrial and commercial building permits nearly tripled between 1991 and 1995, <br /> when a 10 year high of 3,598 pernuts were issued. Popularion also appears to be <br /> risi.ng as 1996 estimates show an increase in population from 83,885 in 1990 to <br /> 85,306. Such efforts and indicators are a positive sign. However, without <br /> continuing efforts by the City to forge ahead with new development, such positive <br /> efforts will soon level out or begin to retreat. <br /> There are areas within its corporate boundaries which, without the use of <br /> incentives, would be very dif�icult to develop because of the high costs of <br /> developing the land. Problems such as lack of proper utilities, improper water <br /> drainage, or other public infrastructure problems prevent commercial, industrial and <br /> 1 <br />� <br />