95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB2409

 

Introduced 2/14/2008, by Sen. Deanna Demuzio

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.708 new

    Creates the Downtown Revitalization Act. Creates the Illinois Main Street Program within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to provide assistance to entities attempting to revitalize downtown and neighborhood commercial districts. Provides criteria. Creates the Illinois Main Street Advisory Council. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Illinois Main Street Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.


LRB095 16291 BDD 42311 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning economic development.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Downtown Revitalization Act.
 
6     Section 5. Legislative purpose.
7     (a) The General Assembly makes the following findings:
8         (1) The continued economic vitality of downtown and
9     neighborhood commercial districts in our municipalities is
10     essential to community preservation, social cohesion, and
11     economic growth.
12         (2) In recent years there has been a deterioration of
13     downtown and neighborhood commercial districts in both
14     rural and urban communities due to a shifting population
15     base, changes in the marketplace, and greater competition
16     from suburban shopping malls, discount centers, and
17     business transacted through the Internet.
18         (3) This decline has eroded the ability of businesses
19     and property owners to renovate and enhance their
20     commercial and residential properties.
21         (4) Business owners in these districts need to maintain
22     their local economies in order to provide goods and
23     services to adjacent residents, to provide employment

 

 

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1     opportunities, to avoid disinvestment and economic
2     dislocations, and to develop and sustain downtown and
3     neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs
4     to address these problems.
5     (b) It is the intent of the General Assembly to establish a
6 program to:
7         (1) work in partnership with these organizations; and
8         (2) provide technical assistance and training to local
9     governments, business organizations, downtown and
10     neighborhood commercial district organizations, and
11     business and property owners to accomplish community and
12     economic revitalization and development of business
13     districts.
 
14     Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
15     "Area" means a geographic area within a municipality that
16 is described by a closed perimeter boundary.
17     "Office" means the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
18     "Program" means a not-for-profit organization under
19 Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) with the
20 sole mission of revitalizing a downtown or neighborhood
21 commercial district area that is designated by the Office.
22     "Qualified levels of participation" means a local downtown
23 or neighborhood commercial district revitalization program
24 that has been designated by Illinois Main Street and the Office
25 of the Lieutenant Governor.
 

 

 

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1     Section 15. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The
2 Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall administer this Act.
 
3     Section 20. Illinois Main Street. The Illinois Main Street
4 Program is created within the Office of the Illinois Lieutenant
5 Governor. In order to implement the Illinois Main Street
6 Program, the Office shall do all of the following:
7     (1) Provide technical assistance to businesses, property
8 owners, organizations, and municipalities undertaking a
9 comprehensive downtown or neighborhood commercial district
10 revitalization initiative and management strategy. Technical
11 assistance may include, but is not limited to, initial site
12 evaluations and assessments, training for local programs,
13 training for local program staff, site visits and assessments
14 by technical specialists, local program design assistance and
15 evaluation, and continued local program on-site assistance.
16     (2) To the extent funds are made available, provide
17 financial assistance to municipalities or local organizations
18 to assist in initial downtown or neighborhood commercial
19 district revitalization program start-up costs, specialized
20 training, specific project feasibility studies, market
21 studies, and design assistance.
22     (3) Develop objective criteria for selecting recipients of
23 assistance and provide for designation of local programs under
24 Section 25 of this Act.

 

 

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1     (4) Operate the Illinois Main Street Program in accordance
2 with the plan developed by the Office in consultation with the
3 Illinois Main Street Advisory Council created under Section 30
4 of this Act.
5     (5) Consider other factors the Office deems necessary for
6 the implementation of this Act.
 
7     Section 25. Criteria.
8     (a) The Office shall adopt criteria for the designation of
9 local downtown or neighborhood commercial district
10 revitalization programs and official local main street
11 programs. In establishing the criteria, the Office shall
12 consider all of the following:
13         (1) The degree of interest and commitment to
14     comprehensive downtown or neighborhood commercial district
15     revitalization and, where applicable, historic
16     preservation by both the public and private sectors.
17         (2) The evidence of potential private sector
18     investment in the downtown or neighborhood commercial
19     district.
20         (3) Where applicable, a downtown or neighborhood
21     commercial district with sufficient historic fabric to
22     become a foundation for an enhanced community image.
23         (4) The capacity of the organization to undertake a
24     comprehensive program and the financial commitment to
25     implement a long-term downtown or neighborhood commercial

 

 

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1     district revitalization program that includes a commitment
2     to employ a professional program manager and maintain a
3     sufficient operating budget.
4         (5) Illinois Main Street's existing downtown
5     revitalization program's tier system.
6         (6) The National Main Street Center's criteria for
7     designating official main street municipalities.
8         (7) Other factors the Office deems necessary for the
9     designation of a local program.
10     (b) Illinois Main Street shall designate local downtown or
11 neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs and
12 official local main street programs.
13     (c) The Illinois Main Street Advisory Council must approve
14 all local downtown or neighborhood commercial district
15 revitalization program boundaries. The boundaries of a local
16 downtown or neighborhood commercial district revitalization
17 program are typically defined using the pedestrian core of a
18 traditional commercial district.
 
19     Section 30. Illinois Main Street Advisory Council.
20     (a) The Illinois Main Street Advisory Council is created
21 within the Office. The Advisory Council shall consist of the
22 following members:
23         (1) The Lieutenant Governor, or his or her designee,
24     who shall serve as chair.
25         (2) The Director of Historic Sites and Preservation or

 

 

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1         his or her designee.
2         (3) The Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
3     or the Director's designee.
4         (4) Six additional members appointed by the Lieutenant
5     Governor who are:
6             (A) citizens of the State of Illinois, and
7             (B) interested in fostering downtown growth and
8         revitalization.
9     (b) The Office of Lieutenant Governor shall develop a plan
10 for the Illinois Main Street Program in consultation with the
11 Illinois Main Street Advisory Council. The plan must describe:
12         (1) the objectives and strategies of the Illinois Main
13     Street Program;
14         (2) how the Illinois Main Street Program will be
15     coordinated with existing federal, state, local, and
16     private sector business development and historic
17     preservation efforts;
18         (3) the means by which private investment will be
19     solicited and employed;
20         (4) the methods of selecting and providing assistance
21     to participating local programs; and
22         (5) a means to solicit private contributions for State
23     and local operations of the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
24     Section 35. Illinois Main Street Fund. The Illinois Main
25 Street Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury.

 

 

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1 All receipts from private contributions, federal funds,
2 legislative appropriations, and fees for services, if levied,
3 must be deposited into the Fund. Subject to appropriation,
4 expenditures from the Fund may be used only for the operation
5 of the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
6     Section 40. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
7 Section 5.708 as follows:
 
8     (30 ILCS 105/5.708 new)
9     Sec. 5.708. The Illinois Main Street Fund.
 
10     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11 becoming law.