CivicLab co-founder Tom Tresser will be presenting at eChicago at UIC on Friday, April 26 on the TIF Illumination Project, as part of a panel on technology and community engagement.
News
And It Stinks
Check out this comprehensive article on the Chicago Infrastructure Trust from Next City. CivicLab co-founder Tom Tresser is the voice of dissent in the piece. But the presence of the ad by Mayer Brown under the picture of the Mayer says it all.
Englewood Neighborhood TIF To Be Illuminated May 4
Join us in Englewood on Saturday, May 4 at 10am at the Kelly Library when we Illuminate just one TIF. We will be exposing the Englewood Neighborhood TIF that morning. Details and RSVP via Facebook @ http://tinyurl.com/
To get you in the mood to Illuminate, take this quick multiple choice question.
If you live inside the Englewood Neighborhood TIF, you would see that it is shown on your property tax bill as having “0” impact – that is no property taxes taken. However, the TRUE percentage of your property taxes gobbled up by that TIF is:
(a) 16%
(b) 27%
(c) 48%
(d) 68%
We’ll reveal the answer, and many more amazing facts about TIFs, on May 4!
46th Ward To Be Illuminated!
Join us at The Peoples Church on April 11 at 7pm when we Illuminate the six TIFs inside the 46th Ward. If the last five TIF town meetings are any guides, then this meeting is going to ROCK! You can get the details and RSVP via Facebook @ http://tinyurl.com/
We invite to learn what TIFs are doing in YOUR community. TO schedule a TIF Illumination for your ward, email tom@civiclab.us.
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.
Two-For-One Special Saturday at Chicago State University!
It will be a 2-for-1 special this Saturday, April 6 at Chicago State when we Illuminate the many, many TIFs inside the 8th and 9th Wards. Join us at 10am. Details and RSVP at Facebook. http://tinyurl.com/
Coverage Of 7th Ward Illumination
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.”
7th Ward TIFs Illuminated
It was a beautiful Spring day outside and inside over 60 people came together to see the five active TIFs of the 7th Ward Illuminated and explained.
Event organizer Sharon Louis, of the South Shore Sustainability Collaborative, welcomed us to the South Shore International College Prep High School (built with TIF funds). WVON radio host Cliff Kelley served as moderator.
Tom Tresser gave the Illumination (see the presentation below) and Eric Tellez, an organizer from the Grassroots Collaborative, gave a presentation on the politics and policies behind the TIF program and other corporate subsidy programs.
Support Our Application To Knight News Challenge
The CivicLab has launched the TIF Illumination Project to investigate and explain what Tax Increment Finance Districts are doing to Chicago on a ward-by-ward basis.
We are Illuminating TIFs across the city. Citizens are organizing TIF Town Meetings and inviting us to present our research and explanatory graphics about what the TIFs in their community have done and are doing.
We are seeking support from The Knight News Challenge to hire coders, designers and organizers in order to formalize this work which has already spawned three TIF town meetings and have another four on the calendar and another five in the works!
Please review our application and (1) comment, (2) “Applaud” the entry, (3) Pass it on. Thanks!
TIF Illuminators On WVON March 23
TIF Illuminators Tom Tresser and Bea Jasper (organizer of the Englewood TIF Town Meeting) will be on “The GreenPreneur Show” on WVON on Saturday night, March 23, from 5-6pm. Listen live here. The call in number is 773-591-1690. Let’s talk TIFs on the South Side. Our next TIF Town Meeting is in South Shore on March 30. Connect with the TIF Illumination Project.