Community leaders rallied against Mayor Emanuel’s budget proposal citing cuts to city services and expanded fees for city residents at a time when a $240 million surplus will remain in the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) coffers. With many of Chicago’s families facing a harsh economy, organizers believe the budget asks those with less to sacrifice more.
“Chicago needs jobs, not layoffs,” said Charles Brown, a member of Action Now. He added, “It’s a crime for the city to be cutting programs while United Airlines and the Mercantile Exchange get $45 million of our money.” Critics believe that the TIF program disproportionately benefits wealthy areas while ignoring neighborhoods in need. According to documents on the city’s TIF website, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) was awarded $15 million in October 2009. Chicago’s TIF website also shows, United Airlines was awarded a total $31.3 million in TIF money in two different deals in September 2009 and October 2007.
According to an analysis of Census’ American Community Survey estimates, Brighton Park has 40.6 percent more people making less than $25,000 than people who live in Downtown TIF districts. From this same Census’ report, 51.1 percent of Brighton Park residents graduated from high school versus 89.9 percent of residents living in downtown TIF districts.
“Mayor Emanuel has decided to propose a budget that allows business as usual for downtown developers and the corporate elite. Our tax dollars should go to our children, not languish in downtown slush funds,” said Sara Echevarria, a former teacher at Clemente High School. “There is record number of teachers having to manage classes with thirty, even forty children, making it harder for our kids to learn. How is that good management?”
Community organizations want the mayor to do what is right and make sure taxpayer money comes back to serve taxpayers. Last month, these same organizations worked with seventeen aldermen to introduce the Responsible Budget Ordinance. The legislation calls for a 50 percent TIF surplus to return to fund city and county services, education, libraries, and parks.
