County eyes ways to fund dredge work

Broad, Jackson creeks areas may get special designation;
funding would come solely from landowners in areas

At a Middlesex County Board of Supervisors (MCBS) work session on Jan. 3, Middle Peninsula Planning District (MPPDC) Executive Director Lewis “Lewie” Lawrence provided supervisors with a creative way to gather funds from taxpayers most impacted — without tax increases.

Lawrence suggested that the county could make the Broad and Jackson creek areas of the county a “Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) District.” Broad Creek in Deltaville requires dredging every 10 years or so and Jackson Creek is similar.

Lawrence explained that during the reassessment years when there are increases on land values supervisors can designate the increased value in real estate to a specific fund. “This would only come from the landowners in the TIF district,” said Lawrence. “You can designate 50% of the value increase towards the dredge fund or you could make it 100%.”

Middlesex County is one of the only counties in the region that has an established dredge fund and it is maintained annually at $1 million. These funds come directly from the general fund which is supported by all taxpayers in the county.

“A TIF District will make it so people living on the creek and businesses located on the creek that own real estate will be funding the dredge fund,” said Lawrence.

“How many districts will be needed?” asked Supervisors Chairman Don Harris.

“Well, that will be up to you but I’d say every creek that you know will eventually require dredging should be a district,” said Lawrence…