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Tax Increment Financing

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Understanding Chicago’s 2026 Record TIF Surplus

by Daniel VeseckyIn October of 2025, Mayor Brandon Johnson released his proposed 2026 budget, which aims to close a deficit…

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Setting the Record Straight: How Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Actually Interacts with the Chicago Public Schools

by Daniel VeseckyTax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts are a complex, often misunderstood part of Chicago’s tax structure. TIF Districts segment and dedicate a portion of property tax collections within a designated geographic area to…

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The Cook County Property Tax Extension Process: A Primer

Click here to read the full report…

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Total Cook County TIF Revenue Increased $93.1 Million in 2023

A report released by the Cook County Clerk in July 2024 found that revenue from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts in Cook County…

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City of Chicago FY2025 Roadmap: Key Financial Challenges, Options and Recommendations

Click here to read the full report.Click here to read the executive summary.…

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Cook County TIF Revenue Continues Record Growth

A report released by the Cook County Clerk in November 2023 found that revenue from tax increment financing (TIF)…

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Addressing the Financial Entanglements Between the City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools

With the upcoming implementation of an elected school board to oversee Chicago Public Schools, the governance of CPS will be separated from the City of Chicago. The 21-member elected school…

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New Report Shows Record Revenue from Chicago TIFs, Declines in Suburbs

A report released by the Cook County Clerk last month found that revenue from TIF districts increased to a record $1.6 billion for FY2021,…

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How the City of Chicago Uses Tax Increment Financing Surplus

The following blog post discusses how the City of Chicago has used surplus revenue in its tax increment financing (TIF) districts since 2013.…

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Red Line transit TIF sets off debate on transportation funding

This article examines a new transit tax increment financing (TIF) district that will help fund the Chicago Transit Authority red line modernization. Laurence Msall, President of the Civic Federation, acknowledges that this is a creative…