Long time Rogers Park activist Don Gordon summarizes the TIF program from the point of view of transparency online at Chicago Now.
When it comes to the lack of government transparency in Chicago, there’s no better poster child than the Tax Increment Financing program or TIF. The program was first recommended by the late Mayor Harold Washington back in the early ‘80’s for Block 37 downtown, but never really gained any traction before his untimely death. Subsequently, TIF’s were taken under wing by Mayor Daley (aka Richard II), and foisted upon his unsuspecting and often clueless subjects (aka, the citizens of Chicago). I say “unsuspecting” because there was little to no transparency in the program over his 22 years and I say “clueless” because most of us, including this life-long resident had no idea what a TIF was anyway.
Read the full story here.
