(a)It is hereby found and declared that the communities of the State have lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs over the last decade and that these losses have resulted in persistent high levels of unemployment and underemployment, substantial tax base losses in many areas of the State, and have left a large inventory of vacant industrial space. As a result of this decline in manufacturing, employment, and income there is an excessive and disproportionate expenditure of public funds, inadequate public and private investment, unmarketability of property, growth in crime, and housing and zoning law violations in these areas together with an abnormal exodus of occupants. The decline of these areas impairs the value of private investments and threatens the sound growth and tax base of taxing d
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(a) It is hereby found and declared that the communities of the State have lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs over the last decade and that these losses have resulted in persistent high levels of unemployment and underemployment, substantial tax base losses in many areas of the State, and have left a large inventory of vacant industrial space. As a result of this decline in manufacturing, employment, and income there is an excessive and disproportionate expenditure of public funds, inadequate public and private investment, unmarketability of property, growth in crime, and housing and zoning law violations in these areas together with an abnormal exodus of occupants. The decline of these areas impairs the value of private investments and threatens the sound growth and tax base of taxing districts in these areas, and threatens the health, safety, morals and welfare of the public. These areas also include underutilized plants and facilities that, if redeveloped for industrial use, will promote industrial and transportation activities, thereby reducing the evils attendant to involuntary unemployment and enhancing the public health and welfare of this State. (b) It is further found and declared that there exist in many municipalities within the State numerous properties, both improved and unimproved, that cannot be reused or sold for reuse because of environmental contamination that causes them to be vacant for long periods of time, less marketable or unmarketable unless cleaned up, and dilapidated and detrimental to the surrounding community. Many of these properties are in strategic locations within the municipalities and cause disinvestment within the community and a loss of tax base and employment opportunities. (c) It is hereby found and declared, that in order to promote and protect the health, safety, morals, and welfare of the public, redevelopment of these areas must be undertaken. To reverse these adverse economic conditions, it is necessary to encourage private investment and restore and enhance the tax base of the taxing districts in these areas by the development or redevelopment of project areas. The reversal of these adverse economic conditions and the elimination of the negative impact they have on communities through industrial redevelopment projects, and the retention and expansion of the economic bases of Illinois communities is hereby declared to be essential to the public interest. (d) It is found and declared that the use of incremental tax revenues derived from the tax levies of various taxing districts in redevelopment project areas for the payment of redevelopment project costs is of benefit to those taxing districts because taxing districts located in redevelopment project areas will ultimately derive substantial benefits from the increased assessment base developed by tax increment allocation financing. In addition, if all surplus tax revenues are distributed to the taxing districts in redevelopment project areas, all taxing districts will benefit from the removal of adverse economic conditions, the development of industrial parks and the development, retention and expansion of employment opportunities for Illinois residents.