Activating the Paducah Tax Increment Financing District
Finance Director Jonathan Perkins celebrated with the Paducah Board of Commissioners the fact that Paducah has reached the capital investment threshold necessary to activate the State’s portion of the tax increment financing district (TIF) for downtown Paducah. The TIF agreement, as authorized under KRS 154.30, is between the City and the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA). The goal of Paducah’s TIF is to revitalize the downtown area by capturing state dollars and reinvesting local dollars.
Regarding the activation of the State’s portion of the TIF district Mayor Bray said, “Downtown Paducah is one of the crown jewels of Paducah, and it keeps on growing. It’s a healthy sign that we have a really strong downtown, and we will have more money to invest in public infrastructure going forward as the years go by.”
As part of the agreement to fully activate the TIF so that Paducah would receive distributions from the State, a milestone of reaching $20 million of capital investment (public and private investment) was set. Since the City met the milestone before the March 2025 deadline, the TIF is now activated and the State will begin making payments to the City.
In 2019, the City established the TIF district footprint in downtown Paducah and received preliminary approval from KEDFA. The district incorporates approximately 315 acres of downtown Paducah and the riverfront. Also in 2019, a baseline of state revenue generated in the district was calculated at $575,117 which includes property, sales, and withholding taxes. Now that the TIF is activated, beginning this year and every year following for 20 years, a new state revenue number will be established, and each year, half of the difference between the State’s new revenues and the baseline revenues (adjusted with the consumer price index) will be available to be distributed to the City. This “increment” will be used to improve the district.
The maximum amount that the State would pay to the City of Paducah over the life of the 20-year agreement is $21 million.
Budget Discussion – Timeline
As the Fiscal Year 2026 budget is being developed for implementation on July 1, budget topics are being discussed at various Commission Meetings. Topics discussed at previous meetings include the investment fund and personnel. At this meeting, Finance Director Jonathan Perkins provided an update on the budget timeline. Perkins stated that the budget process starts each year in January and ends in July when the budget book is posted on the City’s website.
A few of the monthly highlights to complete the process are listed below:
- January – develop the budget calendar with target dates; costs estimates are developed for health and liability insurance; and the fleet acquisition plan is developed.
- February – grant-in-aid process is launched; revenue projections are started; Board of Commissioners sets priorities; and personnel population count is verified with departments.
- March – completion of revenue projections; departments begin their individual budget entries; 911 board submits budget; and grant-in-aid process closes.
- April – department budget meetings with finance departments; department budget meetings with City Manager; and one-on-one budget meetings with Board of Commissioners.
- May – budget adjustments resulting from meetings; multi-year project projections completed; draft budget ordinance created; and first reading of budget ordinance.
- June and July – adoption of budget ordinance and posting of final budget book to website.
Creation of Training Incentive Program for City Officials
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance to create a training incentive program for city officials as permitted by KRS 64.5278. This program encourages city officials to obtain education and training related to the operation of city government. Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) will serve as the program administrator by validating courses, tracking participation, and providing annual certification to the City. Approximately 27 Kentucky cities participate in this program.
Key highlights of the program include
- Officials must complete 15 hours (15 hours = 1 training unit) of approved training annually to qualify.
- Up to 10 excess hours may carry over to the next calendar year.
- Officials will receive $500 for completing the 15 hours of training each year
- Training units build each year that the official successfully completes 15 hours of training with the cap at 4 years. (Year 1 = $500, Year 2=$1,000, Year 3=$1,500, Year 4=$2,000. Every year after 4 is capped at $2,000)
- If an official fails to meet the 15-hour requirement in any given year, accumulated training units reset to $0.
Amend Chapter 118 (Vegetation) of the Paducah Code of Ordinances
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance amending Chapter 118 (Vegetation) of the Paducah Code of Ordinances. The main change to the ordinance reduces the size of the Tree Advisory Board from nine to five members by removing the city staff representatives on the board. However, there will be a city staff appointee from the Parks and Recreation Department who provides staff support to the Tree Advisory Board. This appointee also will develop a tree planting and replacement plan for city-owned lots and rights-of-way and a tree voucher program. The Tree Advisory Board will be required to provide an annual report to the City Commission on the board’s activities and goals and assist in the development and implementation of the tree voucher program.
Additional Meeting Information
- Director of Parks and Recreation Amie Clark introduced to the board Gregory Shelton who was recently promoted to Assistant Director of Parks.
- City Clerk/Director of Customer Experience Lindsay Parish introduced Laura Cowles to the Board. Laura was recently hired for the new position of Development Liaison.
- Mayor Bray presented a proclamation to Behavioral Health Operations Manager Ashely Walters with Mercy Health – Lourdes Hospital proclaiming May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Several Mercy Health representatives in addition to representatives from various local organizations that work to support mental health awareness were in attendance.
- Mayor Bray presented a proclamation to Sarah House with the Paducah Tennis Association and two young tennis players proclaiming May as National Tennis Month.
- Municipal Order approved for an agreement with TempsPlus, Inc. for temporary, seasonal, and temp-to-hire employees.
- Municipal Order approved for a contract with TESCO Solutions for the rewiring of data cabling in City Hall.
- Municipal Order approved authorizing the City Manager to release a request for proposals for new lighting at Dolly McNutt Memorial Plaza.
- Municipal Order approved authorizing the City Manager to release a request for proposals for custodial services in city park facilities.
- Municipal Order approved for the emergency purchase due to the recent flooding of HESCO bastions for protecting the Convention Center complex from flooding.
- Municipal Order approved authorizing the City Manager to release a request for proposals for recruitment services for the executive director position at Hotel Metropolitan. Mellon Foundation grant funding will pay for this contract.
- Ordinance approved amending the Fiscal Year 2025 budget to increase revenues and expenditures for the Community Development Block Grant Fund by $200,000.
- Mayor Bray said that since the Ohio River has crested, the gates around the Convention Center have been taken down to assist with the flow of visitors for AQS QuiltWeek.
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