Decorah City Council ready for public hearing on tax abatement program

The Decorah City Council will hold a public hearing September 2nd on a proposal to encourage construction of new housing in Decorah by offering tax abatements on the increase in valuations.

City Administrator Chad Bird spent time at Monday night's city council meeting reviewing the proposal for the benefit of council members.  Bird says the program would cover new single family home construction, new commercial apartments and additions and improvements to existing residences that increased property valuation by at least ten percent.

Bird stressed that the tax abatements would apply ONLY to the increased property valuations and not on the existing property valuations.  He also presented information on the possible impact of such a program.  Bird says he will make similar comments for the benefit of the public on September 2nd.