District 300 Hosting Forum on Sears Issue Tonight

For weeks that would extend the Sears tax breaks an additional 15 years. Their efforts will culminate tonight when the district hosts a public information forum at to discuss the possible extension of the Sears EDA and how it would impact the district.

When the resolution was adopted in 1989 as a way to keep Sears in Illinois, leaders set the property tax incentives to last 23 years. With the agreement set to expire in mid-2012, the retail giant that employs more than 6,000 workers has been waging a campaign for another package of tax breaks, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune.

A 15-year extension of the Sears agreement would cost the district $14 million per year, officals say.

The district’s . If that is to happen, D300 spokeswoman Allison Strupeck said the district would like to see the Illinois Legislature use 2012 to develop alternative legislation that would provide some incentive for Sears, while not harming the school district.

The Public Information Forum is being held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13. at in Algonquin.

Starting at 6:30 p.m., Algonquin Patch will be liveblogging from the public information forum. Visit Algonquin Patch tonight to follow the event's happenings in real-time.