Mayor Renault – I mean, Mayor Emanuel, expressed amazement at the lack of standards for creating and evaluating TIF districts. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that “Without criticizing Daley directly, Emanuel said he was “shocked” to learn that TIF districts have been multiplying for more than two decades without any job creation standards.”
Remember that great scene from Casablanca where the charming but corrupt Captain Renault orders Rick’s to be closed. “On what grounds?” Rick demands. “I’m shocked, shocked to learn that gambling is going on in here.” And then the croupier hands him his winnings.
Well, our new Mayor may express the same sense of amazement that a program that has been going on in Chicago for over 20 years – while he raised money for the former Mayor and while he was Congressman – is so unaccountable and broken. Look for him to continue to collect TIF bounty while making reform noises.
