Orland Park’s TIFF and impact‑fee review spotlights school reimbursements and transparency measures

During a joint session Monday, Orland Park officials and outside consultants outlined a draft Tax Increment Financing (TIF) policy, an updated impact‑fee ordinance and a proposed intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to clarify how revenues and school reimbursements will be handled.

SB Friedman consultant Jeff Dickinson said the central test for any new TIF is whether a project would proceed 'but for' the assistance: "If you believe this redevelopment would occur without TIF, you should vote no," Dickinson said, urging a project‑level gap analysis to show the finance case.

School reimbursement and caps: Officials discussed statutory limits on school reimbursements. Dickinson and village staff explained that for TIFF‑supported housing the law limits per‑pupil returns and that village analyses are using conservative 'worst‑case' assumptions — setting aside up to 40% of the residential increment in early analyses to cover potential per‑pupil reimbursements tied to new housing in TIF districts.

Transparency and process: The draft IGA would require early notification to taxing bodies, annual Joint Review Board reporting and clear documentation of TIFF eligible costs (infrastructure, remediation, demolition and certain soft costs). Village staff said they will circulate TIFF boundaries, financial pro formas and impact‑fee drafts to school districts and solicited comments on cadence for fee updates and intergovernmental mechanics.

What comes next: Staff committed to follow up with the districts on the draft impact‑fee IGA language, provide TIFF financial analyses when available and to continue Joint Review Board engagement as required by state law.