Mt. Pleasant has three Tax Increment Finance
Authorities (TIFA). The purpose of these authorities
is to initiate projects and programs to halt
property value deterioration and increase property
tax valuation in designated districts. One
authority was created for the Central Business
District (CBD), generally described as the downtown
area. The other two TIFAs were created for
Industrial Park North, located east of N. Mission
near US-27, and University Park, situated on the
south end of the Central Michigan University campus.
Mt. Pleasant's Downtown Development Authority (DDA)
encompasses Mission Street (from Bluegrass to the
north city limit), Pickard Street (from Arnold to
Packard), and Broadway Street (from Mission to
Fancher).
The TIFAs and DDA are funded by a portion of the
property taxes from the properties located within
their districts. The TIFA and DDA Board then
determines how the funds will be utilized, which
directly or indirectly benefits all properties
within the district. Typical projects include
aesthetic improvements such as landscape, decorative
lighting, entry walls, sidewalk brick pavers,
planters, banners, holiday decorations, and the
ongoing maintenance of those improvements.
Mt. Pleasant also has an Economic Development
Corporation (EDC), which deals with financing land
purchases for economic development in the city, and
a Brownfield Redevelopment Authority that helps
provide financing to assist with the redevelopment
of environmentally contaminated or structurally or
economically obsolete sites in the city.
A nine-member citizen advisory board oversees the
operation of all the authorities listed above. Board
members are appointed by the City Commission and
serve staggered four-year terms without pay.
