We launched the TIF Illumination Project at the Chopin Theater one year ago! What a wild ride it’s been. Here is an account of the work we’ve done. Comments are welcome.
Category: TIF Town Meeting
“TIF 201” Workshop January 28
TIF 201 – Organizing Around The TIF Program
The CivicLab
Wednesday, January 28, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Tax Increment Financing Districts have been in the news lately.
Just WHAT are TIFs?
HOW do they work and how MANY of them are there?
Do they HELP or HURT the city?
Tom Tresser, the co-founder of the CivicLab and the lead organizer of the TIF Illumination Project, will break it all down in this informative and – yes – engaging and strangely entertaining workshop. Learn what over 2,000 other Chicagoans have learned from the TIF Illumination workshops done all over the city!
This session will past the TIF basics covered in previous workshops and will focus on how to help communities organize to impact the TIF districts that in their area.
$10. Attendees must register via EventBrite @ http://tif-201-1-28-14.eventbrite.com. All proceeds go to support the operation of the CivicLab. Making democracy.
The Nation recently profiled our work in a cover story entitled “Chicago Rising!” The author said “Chicago is where the spreadsheets are meeting the streets — and changing the face of politics in the city.” Join us to learn why and how this is happening.
What attendees at previous sessions have said…
“I just wanted to say thank you for the fantastic class last night. I learned a ton of new and disturbing information. I learned about Civic Lab while taking a class during the Chicago Ideas Week and I am looking forward to more classes! Thanks so much for creating such a wonderful organization and I look forward to seeing you speak at other events.” – John D.
“Illuminating and impressive presentation on TIFs in Chicago/Cook County las night. I thought I was up to speed, but proceeded to have my mind further blown on the lack of transparency and accountability. Highly recommend checking out The CivicLab Chicago. Thanks to Tom and the team there!” – Cory Jaffe
“The TIF 101 Class was AWESOME!!!! It is information that everyone should know. I hope that you will consider publishing that booklet that you presented. It would sell like wild fire!” -Dr. Carmen L. C. Palmer, Founding President, Educational Village Keepers
TIF Illuminators Testify
Got a few minutes? Then watch these brief videos from TIF Illuminators Maureen, Don, Bill and Marjorie as they explain why they got involved in the TIF Illumination Project.
The recordings were made at the 49th Ward TIF Town Meeting on July 1, 2013.
Perils Of Privatization
Historian and reporter for The Nation Rick Perlstein is doing a series of articles on the perils of privatization. In this 13 minute interview on WBEZ he lays out the reasons to be very skeptical about the sorts of deals Chicago is “forcing down the throats” of the taxpayers. He gives a shout out to the work of Tom Tresser and the TIF Illumination Project.
“Who Owns West Woodlawn?” Town Meeting
Tom will be presenting on the TIFs of the 20th Ward at this town meeting.
UIC School of Social Work Does TIF Forum
TIF Illuminator Tom Tresser joins TIF and urban policy expert Rachel Weber on a panel discussing TIFs at the UIC School of Social Work on November 21. This forum is a project of a class at the Jane Addams School of Social Work. 9am to 11am at the Daley Library, 801 S. Morgan Street, Room 1-470.
DePaul Stadium Forum Illuminates 2nd Ward
Students as DePaul organized a public forum on the proposed DePaul Stadium and asked for an Illumination of the 17 TIFs inside the 2nd Ward – spotlighting the site and adjacent TIFs. This research is from The TIF Illumination Project. If you want a copy of this presentation please email tom@civiclab.us.
Sun-Times Illuminates TIFs
The TIF Illumination Project was a source for this story in today’s Chicago Sun-Times.
Watch This Video
“TIF 101” Workshop September 17
Tom Tresser has been doing TIF Illumination workshops all over the city. Now you can see what over 1,600 other people have seen – how TIFs work REALLY.
Attend the “TIF 101” workshop at the CivicLab on Tuesday, September 17 at 7pm. 90 minutes. $10. You’ll be Illuminated! Register via EventBrite.