By Angeles Ponpa
PEKIN, Ill. (25 News) – The Pekin Park District can expect to get a share of new tax revenue should commercial or residential development reach the 1,000-acre Lutticken Property.
The Pekin City Council voted 7-0 Monday night to annex the Lutticken Property into the Pekin Park District, opening the door for possible future tax revenue from developments there. That includes a proposed data center, which was brought up multiple times at Monday night’s meeting.
The Lutticken Property is next to Dirksen and McNaughton Parks off Edgewater Drive in Pekin.
With annexation, the park district is taking a gamble. They would be able to collect tax revenue if the land is developed, whether for commercial or residential use. However, according to Pekin Park Executive Director Cameron Bettin, the park would benefit more if the land were developed into homes.
It’s not clear how much more money the park district would receive if the land were used for residential instead of commercial purposes.
If the land is used to build subdivisions, homeowners living within the annexed property would see an additional tax on their bills, courtesy of the Pekin Park District.
“You know, those people are going to be paying taxes to the municipality,” Bettin told 25 News. “They’re going to be paying taxes to the school district, and then therefore… We’ll be able to collect property taxes from them, so it just generates more revenue for us.”
Bettin assured the public that the move is strictly for tax help with park operations and maintenance, but the park district will not have a vote on what that land becomes, just input.
“We have nothing to do with what the city’s plans are for the Lutticken Property, or any other properties,” Bettin said. “Obviously, if it has an impact on us, because we do have parkland nearby, the city will work with us.”
During Monday night’s meeting, Pekin City Manager John Dossey claimed there was misinformation spreading through the community regarding the agenda item, which included the annexation vote.
While Dossey did not elaborate on the vote during the meeting, he directed all questions and concerns to Josh Wray, the city’s economic development director.
“It does not mean that the property will become a park,” Wray said. “It does not mean anything other than it will be within the park district’s corporate boundaries, and someday, when somebody else owns it, and there’s taxable value, they will be able to spread their tax levy across the district.”
Wray and other Pekin council members claimed that the land is still owned and operated by the City of Pekin, emphasizing that this step was a formality.
25 News reached out to the Pekin City Manager for comment, but did not hear back.
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