Open Illinois.org

In a recent Huffington Post Chicago article, Ester Cepeda talks about TIF Districts and the need to bring them to light. “Eternal Sunshine of Chicago’s Mind: TIFs Need to be Brought Into the Light,” chronicles TIFs in Chicago and two alderman who are trying to create transparency. Ald. Manny Flores (1st) and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) would like to bring the whole process out in the open. Creating an open process would allow citizens to review the dollars and talk with their alderman.

“TIF districts make peoples eyes glaze over because they’re difficult to understand, difficult to track, and it takes decades to see the results of bad governance– perfect conditions for pulling the wool over residents’ eyes about how these things come to pass in their own back yards.”

“We have an opportunity to very easily provide more transparency in our government by publishing what should be public information and letting people participate in making those decisions,” Flores said, “the taxpayers need to have better control over how their money is spent.”