How Duluth has benefited from the Community Investment Trust Fund:
r Interest earned from the $56.7 million in the fund, along with property taxes from new business growth, goes toward the city's street improvement program.
r The pot of money has helped keep the city's bond rating high despite year-after-year budget shortfalls. And, because the bond rating is high, taxpayers are saved millions of dollars in interest payments on building projects.
r Money also has been tapped for low-income housing projects, the Heritage Hockey Center, the Business Improvement District and paying down the retiree health-care debt.
