* Who's TIF is It? Part 2

A $400 million, mixed-use commercial project next to Loyola’s lakefront campus? A separate $20.4 million public subsidy for the renovation of Loyola’s Mundelein Center?

So, a local developer boils down his motivation, strategy, and expected outcomes in a short quip to a reporter, "Gentrification occurs, the yuppies move in, and all of a sudden you have Starbucks and Trader Joe's."

That statement represents a mindset full of assumptions, all reduced to such simplicity. Well, its not news to us, but we are glad to know how investing in Rogers Park makes sense to “some” developers. I bet, in fact, I know of the existence of other developers who have higher motivations and goals that are more in tune with the needs of our entire community.

There’s some history behind this TIF project.

In our 49th ward’s 2003 aldermanic election, the issues of TIF’s and the need to plan for community development to benefit residents were debated. A few months after the election, on July 30, Alderman Moore convened a large public meeting at Loyola University on the planned Sheridan/Devon TIF. RPCAN did tons of great research on this particular TIF proposal and turned out scores of Rogers Park residents for the meeting.

At the time, I wrote, “While the 3-page TIF Redevelopment Plan contained many generalities and grand ideals about development goals, the major points of contention focused on its vagueness and lack of specificity in areas that really matter. Among its many oversights, for instance, was the lack of specifics about how the plan will support existing small businesses in the area and how the community will benefit.”

I wrote (on progressiverogerspark @ yahoogroups.com) that entirely missing from the document or only vaguely referenced were goals and objectives (1) to prevent displacement, (2) preserve/create affordable housing, (3) mandates for employment of current residents by TIF developers, (4) or even exactly what kind of new businesses the TIF planners hope to attract. Other major cities in America do planning with these objectives in mind. Why not here?

Additional criticism at the Loyola meeting was fueled by the shady nature of the "TIF Task Force" oversight body. After a while, with the alderman sidestepping questions and ignoring criticism of the proposal, there was a not-so-surprising revelation.

Residents in the audience at the meeting noted that Blacks and Latinos comprise 2/3 of Rogers Park’s citizens. Several asked repeatedly about the composition of the alderman’s 17-member Sheridan/Devon TIF Oversight Task Force. Joe and DevCorp North Executive Director Kimberly Bares finally admitted that there were no Blacks, no Latinos, and no renters appointed to Joe’s “task force.”

Another fundamental concern in this episode for me was the tremendous deployment of aldermanic and city government staff, energy, and financial resources to support what was essentially a TIF to benefit private interests – important public assets leveraged at taxpayers' expense.

As a candidate in the 2003 aldermanic election, I pledged to lead and aggressively support inclusive, comprehensive, and accountable community planning and action that benefits the greatest number of residents possible.

We all know there is a critical need for sound development and economic investment in Rogers Park. Loyola University, rightfully, is a major player in that. There is also a great deal of boasting here as well about our open and honest democratic processes, and about honoring our diversity. I’d expect Loyola to be more sensitive to the issues I outline here.

On the evening of July 30, 2003 – a few months after an election where our alderman should have learned to care about our demand for accountability – we were permitted only a very brief glimpse of a very big government project aimed at meeting private needs. What we discovered, yet again, was that none of the principles we hold as sacred are truly operative here.

Peace, Michael J. Harrington
MJH123@aol.com