Prattville Development Controversy

Some Prattville residents say the citizens are being sued by city government as a means of validating a procedure for revenue.

And they showed up at Tuesday night’s council meeting to try to stop the council from approving the resolution.
The incentive package will allow the city to develop retail space.
The agreement will rebate one half of the sales tax revenues collected by the city within the retail center for ten years or up to one million dollars.
Some people say that’s not the way to go about it.

Gerald Cimis says, “we have tons of vacant retail shops all around Prattville. So there is really no need to pay a developer over a million dollars, up to a million dollars in sales tax rebates for him to demolish and rebuild when we have empty stores, empty K-Mart. Go drive through High Point. Empty shops all through High Point.”

Mayor Bill Gillespie says he trusts his legal team and believes everything is being done lawfully.
The resolution unanimously passed.