Category Archives: Civic Life

152 TIFs Illuminated!

I gave an update to a group of TIF Illumination Project organizers today at the CivicLab.

The TIF illumination Project was launched in February and six months later we’ve Illuminated 152 TIFs across 26 wards! The map hows the territory we’ve covered (Wards outlined in red received their own Illumination town forum, wards outlined blue were Illuminated together in two separate meetings). Over 1,500 people have attended these meetings.

Here is the presentation given to the group of folks who have or who are organizing TIF Town Meetings.

TIF Illumination Project Update from Thomas Tresser

Chicago IS Rising!

The volunteers of the CivicLab’s TIF Illumination Project are honored to be profiled in the July 22 issue of The Nation in a cover story feature entitled, “Chicago Rising.” The author attended the 4th Ward TIF Illumination on May 13. You can see all the presentations made at all 12 Ward Illuminations here – http://tifreports.com/tif-town-meetings.

AREA Chicago Distributes 5,000 Copies Of TIF Poster

Thanks to the great folks at AREA Chicago we are distributing 5,000 copies of the TIF Illumination Project’s graphic poster showing the results of our investigation of the 12 TIFs inside the 27th Ward. Awesome! The poster was written by Tom Tresser based on data research lead by Cory Mollet and designed by Carlyn So. The Spring 2013 issue focuses on housing.

8th & 9th Ward Double Illumination

Join us at Chicago State University on Saturday, April 6. We will be Illuminating the many, many TIFs inside the 8th and 9th Wards. Details and RSVP at Facebook = http://tinyurl.com/TIF-Forum-April-6

The evolving schedule and documentation of past meetings is at http://tifreports.com/tif-town-meetings.

Coverage Of 7th Ward Illumination

In 30+ years of civic engagement work I’ve never seen a project take off like this. This was the fourth TIF town meeting in seven weeks. There are four more coming up and four more after that in the works!

From Progress Illinois, “Dozens of South Shore residents weren’t too happy upon learning that a portion of their property taxes have been used as part of the city’s tax increment financing, or TIF, program.

Tom Tresser, co-founder of the CivicLab, came to the 7th Ward, and is heading to others, as part of the volunteer-based TIF Illumination Project, which is intended to promote TIF transparency and provide Chicago residents with a snapshot of what the program is — or isn’t — doing for their communities.

“I can’t believe that it’s so much money that’s out there that the community does not know about that’s not channeling back into our community, especially with all the schools closing,” Renita Jones, a South Shore resident of more than 14 years, said after Saturday’s meeting.

“It’s just amazing to me that (the city is) saying there’s no funds, and we have millions of [TIF] dollars that’s available that’s going to the corporate district, but the lower-class people are suffering from it,” Jones added.”

TIF Town Hall Meeting In South Shore March 30

Join us in South Shore on Saturday, March 30 to talk TIFs in the 7th Ward. We’ll be Illuminating the five active TIFs there. Preview: In 2011 those TIFs extracted $1.4 million from property owners in the 7th Ward.
Details of the event on Facebook.

Privatization Deal Keeps On Giving (To Morgan Stanley)

From the Chicago Sun-Times: “Chicago taxpayers have been hit with a $57.8 million ruling in favor of the private company that runs four city-owned, downtown parking garages — stuck with that bill because former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration mistakenly allowed a competing garage to open nearby, according to documents obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has 90 business days to appeal the Feb. 25 decision by a panel of independent arbitrators regarding Chicago Loop Parking LLC’s claim that City Hall violated the terms of its 99-year garage-privatization deal by subsequently approving plans for a garage in the 82-story Aqua building, about a block from the company’s nearest garage.”

Mayor Announces New “Opportunity Areas” – New Path To Privitization?

City Hall announced a new program called “Opportunity Areas.”

As part of a holistic and strategic vision to foster and seize upon growth and development in neighborhoods across Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced nearly $3 billion in private and public development projects in seven targeted Chicago neighborhoods through a new “Opportunity Planning” initiative. The neighborhoods include Englewood, Pullman, Rogers Park, Uptown, Little Village, Bronzeville, and the Eisenhower Corridor.

“Each of these areas is unique and full of potential and the City will play an important role in supporting their growth. Economic development and a neighborhood’s success are reliant upon the support and strategic vision these ‘Opportunity Area’ plans provide,” said Mayor Emanuel. “The City of Chicago in coordination with the private sector has a vital role to play to help communities showcase and support their entertainment, economic and cultural assets. Only then will Chicago be able to live up to its potential as the global city that it should be.”

Privatization alert! The Chicago Reader has been on this story for years. The Huffington Post notes the mysterious launch of a second “progressive” City Council caucus a day AFTER Aldermen announced the formation of a progressive caucus that would be closely monitoring privatization.

Washington Park TIF Town Meeting Packed!

I presented on the six TIFs in the 20th Ward at the Washington Park TIF Town Meeting. Wow. It was packed. Cliff Kelley was the emcee and the attendees had LOTS of questions. We are on to something with the TIF Illumination Project! Below are the presentations plus audio (56 minutes).

TIFs in the 20th Ward from Thomas Tresser

Watch Feb 12 TIF Town Meeting

Thanks to the great folks at CAN-TV you can watch the February 12 TIF Town Meeting produced by The Tax Integrity and Fairness Alliance at the Chopin Theater (1 hour, 22 minutes). View the media coverage and my presentation materials on the impacts of the 12 TIFs inside the 27th Ward here.