Issues: Tax Increment Financing

Tax Increment Financing, often referred to as TIF, is a popular economic development tool for local governments across the United States. Read The Civic Federation’s analyses and recommendations to improve the transparency of TIF in Illinois here.

Recent Research

  • 12.07.11

    Metropolitan Water Reclamation District FY2012 Tentative Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

    The Civic Federation offers conditional support for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s (MWRD) FY2012 Tentative Budget of $1.0 billion. The Federation is concerned that the budget proposes the maximum increase to the property tax levy and does not comply with the District’s own fund balance policy. The proposed reforms to pension funding that have the support of the Retirement Fund Board and the Board of Commissioners are a strong step toward improving the financial health of the pension fund, which is only 56.5% funded. However, the passage of these reforms in Springfield will require strong advocacy by the Commissioners.

  • 12.07.11

    Chicago Park District FY2012 Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

    The Civic Federation supports the Chicago Park District FY2012 Budget of $407.5 million because it holds the property tax levy flat for the seventh year in a row and emphasizes cost containment and revenue diversification. The Federation supports the District’s development of a fund balance policy and its efforts to eliminate the structural deficit through a multi-year plan. While we support the budget, the Civic Federation has concerns about the declining health of the District’s pension fund.

    Click here to read the press release.

  • 11.11.11

    Civic Federation 2012 Legislative Priorities

    The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2012 include public pension reform, requiring the State of Illinois to develop and implement a capital improvement plan, dissolving the Illinois International Port District, creating a new governing board for the Cook County Forest Preserve District, requiring all counties to hold budget hearings and large counties to produce timely annual audits, enacting tax increment financing reporting reform, requiring school financial management accountability reforms and authorizing state and local government entities to establish trust funds for the advance funding of retiree health care.