Economic development is a goal for all of the Quad Cities. We’ve seen significant steps in varying degrees in Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline and East Moline. The one city that’s lagged behind is Rock Island, but definitely not for lack of trying.
City leaders are poised to take a new step to try to breathe new life into downtown Rock Island.
The area once known to have a thriving nightlife on the weekends got a lot quieter in recent years. There are empty storefronts of businesses that failed or moved.
The city council is moving forward with establishing a Special Service Area for the downtown. It would impose a new property tax on property owners. That revenue collected by the city would be reinvested directly back into the district.
Rock Island’s proposed special service area is now in its 60-day holding pattern. It’s open for people to file petitions and formal objections with the city.
We talk with Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms, who addresses the downtown area and more.
“You know there’s a perception of security issues that we’ve had over the years. It is really more of a perception. There has been some issues, but every downtown has had them,” Thoms said.
Click on the video to hear what else Thoms has to say.
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