By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – After approving tax incentives for Rivian Automotive, Unit 5’s Board of Education wondered if there might be some type of partnership that can be found with the Town of Normal to help recover some revenue.

Rivian’s incentive package includes the possibility of a 100 percent property tax rebate over five years. Unit 5 represents the largest portion of the levy on the former Mitsubishi Motors property. If Rivian meets all the criteria for the incentives, Unit 5 would lose $390,000 per year.

Normal City Manager Mark Peterson said the town is willing to sit down with the district and see if there is some help they can offer, but those talks haven’t taken place yet.

“We understand the financial strain they’re under, which has been exacerbated by the State of Illinois’ inability to pass a budget and to adequately fund schools,” he said.

Some school board members had floated the idea of perhaps getting a piece of the revenue from the one percent sales tax increase approved by Normal, Bloomington and McLean County. However, Peterson explained that revenue is mostly spoken for.

“Certainly, 25 percent of that is going to mental health services, which indirectly benefits Unit 5 – it benefits all communities,” said Peterson. “A portion of that’s going to Connect Transit. A portion of that’s going to economic development.

“And then we anticipate using a significant amount of those dollars for library, a new public library.”

This week, the McLean County Board became the latest to approve the incentives for Rivian.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].