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News & Features, Ben Joravsky on Politics, May 23, 2013
Rahm's latest plan: Close the schools, build an arena

The mayor prepares to take tax money from public education and use it on a sports facility for DePaul.
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Ben Joravsky on Politics, tax increment financing, TIFs, subsidies, Rahm Emanuel, development, development funding, school closings, CPS, Chicago Public Schools, McCormick Place, hotels, basketball arenas, property taxes, taxes, stadiums, University of Chicago, DePaul University, Chicago White Sox, school funding, City Council, Francis Cardinal George, Patrick O'Connor, Loyola University, Catholic institutions

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News & Features, Ben Joravsky on Politics, Feb 26, 2013
Chicago's new BFF is a legislator from Waukegan

State representative Rita Mayfield isn't from the city, but who else is sticking up for its taxpayers?
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Ben Joravsky on Politics, Rita Mayfield, Paul Vallas, Arne Duncan, Ron Huberman, Jean-Claude Brizard, Barbara Byrd-Bennett, HB 197, TIFs, Illinois General Assembly, Laura Farr, Patrick O'Connor, 40th Ward, Chicago City Council, tax increment financing, tax caps, school funding, schools, CPS, Chicago Public Schools, property taxes, Rahm Emanuel, Richard M. Daley, education, CTU, Chicago Teachers Union, Kenneth Dunkin, Esther Golar, Marcus Evans Jr., Monique Davis, Camille Lily, Waukegan

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News & Features, Ben Joravsky on Politics, Jun 6, 2012
The mayor makes a TIF movie

A riveting film in which city officials sorta explain tax increment financing
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Ben Joravsky on Politics, TIFs, property taxes, Rahm Emanuel, Alexandra Holt, infrastructure trust, tax reform, River Point

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News & Features, Ben Joravsky on Politics, May 23, 2012
While you were distracted by NATO ...

Mayor Emanuel doles out TIF and charter money—and cuts cops and libraries
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Ben Joravsky on Politics, Rahm Emanuel, NATO, TIFs, corporate handouts, taxes, River Point, Ivanhoe Cambridge, property taxes, UNO, Noble Street, Juan Rangel, charter schools

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Blogs, Bleader, Apr 13, 2012
Joe Berrios for Mayor!

Cook County assessor Joe Berrios sends out property tax assessments, which require a fun-filled explanation.
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: $$$, Politics, Clout City, Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, property taxes, infrastructure fund, Mayor Richard M. Daley

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Blogs, Bleader, Oct 12, 2011
A bit of the old, a bit of the new in Mayor Emanuel's first budget
- by Mick Dumke
- Tags: Politics, Clout City, News, Rahm Emanuel, Richard M. Daley, mayor, Chicago, Chicago City Council, budget, privatization, property taxes, tax increment financing, TIFs, Ed Burke, congestion fee, Chicago Police Department, garbage collection

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News & Features, Politics, Nov 25, 2010
Do the Math

If housing prices are in the tank, and property taxes are based on property values, why are my property taxes going up?
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Politics, taxes, property taxes, Barb Head, Cook County, Forrest Claypool, John Daley, Dana Marberry, Tax Reform Action Coalition, property values, Cook County assessor, Jim Houlihan

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News & Features, Politics, Nov 18, 2010
The Poor Pay Again

The Englewood TIF coughs up $3 million to help bridge Chicago's budget gap.
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Politics, Englewood Tax Increment Financing District, Englewood TIF, Latasha Thomas, Arenda Troutman, Shirley Coleman, JoAnn Thompson, Mayor Daley, TIF, tax increment finance, tax increment finance district, tax revenue, property taxes, City Council, Community Development Commission, Cindy Thomas, Stephen Friedman, LaSalle Central TIF, Kennedy-King College, Near South TIF, Central Station, South Loop, Chicago budget crisis

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Blogs, Bleader, May 25, 2010
I Think I've Heard That One Before

The Mayor says property taxes won't go up. And who knows? Maybe he's right this time.
- by Whet Moser
- Tags: Chicagoland, Politics, Clout City, Mayor Daley, TIFs, tax-increment financing, property taxes, Cook County assessor

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Blogs, Bleader, May 7, 2010
Clusterbudget: Unhappy Hour

The state legislature ends the week without a state budget.
- by Whet Moser
- Tags: Chicagoland, Politics, Clout City, Illinois budget crisis, seven percent solution, property taxes, sales tax holiday

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Blogs, Bleader, Jan 21, 2010
More On the Madigan Rules

The Trib goes after Michael Madigan and his firm, powerful property tax law heavyweights Madigan & Getzendanner.
- by Whet Moser
- Tags: Chicagoland, Politics, Clout City, Michael Madigan, Madigan & Getzendanner, TIFs, Loyola, property taxes, 7% cap

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News & Features, Politics, Jan 14, 2010
Who'll Keep Your Rent Down Now?

In the Cook County assessor's race: the insider, the outsider, or the guy with no phone?
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Politics, Cook County Assessor, Robert Shaw, Joe Berrios, Raymond Figueroa, Property taxes, elections, Jim Houlihan, Barb Head, Tax Reform Action Coalition, Jim Madigan

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News & Features, Politics, Dec 17, 2009
It Doesn't Take Much to Be a Maverick

Alderman Tom Allen makes history by daring to question the mayor's pet financing scheme in City Council chambers.
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Politics, Tom Allen, TIF, TIFs, tax-increment financing, Mayor Daley, 2010 Chicago budget, Miguel del Valle, 38th Ward, Berny Stone, Patrick O'Connor, Ron Ernst, Hugh Devlin, Valerie Leonard, ABC's of TIFs, property taxes, city taxes, Thomas Cullerton, Jim Houlihan, slush fund, Anita Alvarez, Skyway, Chicago parking meters, Midway Airport, Chicago Children's Museum, Helen Shiller, Vi Daley, Tom Tunney, Mary Ann Smith, Eugene Schulter

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News & Features, Politics, Nov 5, 2009
A Round of Really!?! With Mayor Daley

We have some follow-up questions to the questions other outlets have been asking him about our stories.
- by Mick Dumke
- Tags: Politics, Mayor Daley, Richard M. Daley, TIF, TIFs, tax-increment financing, Chicago Public Radio, WBEZ, parking meters, Chicago Parking Meters, rainy-day funds, Chicago budget, Chicago budget crisis, Skyway, property taxes, William Blair & Company, Goldman Sachs, Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council, Los Angeles City Council, FOIA, Freedom of Information Act, MillerCoors, Willis Group

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News & Features, Politics, Nov 5, 2009
October Surprise

Mayor Daley says he’s not raising property taxes. But he is. Here’s how.
- by Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Politics, property taxes, TIF, TIFs, tax-increment financing, City Council, Mayor Daley, Richard Daley, David Orr, Mike Quigley, The Shadow Budget, A Tale of Two Cities, Jeremy Thompson, Jason Liechty, Helen Schiller, Walter Burnett, Patrick O'Connor, Forest Claypool, Larry Suffredin, John Daley, Tony Periaca, Cook County assessor, property tax assessment, Michael Madigan, John Hancock Building

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Blogs, Bleader, Oct 27, 2009
Goodbye to the 7 Percent Property-Tax Solution

Confused by the phaseout of the 7% property tax cap? Here's the deal, from the annals of Ben Joravsky's property tax reporting.
- by Whet Moser
- Tags: Chicagoland, Politics, Clout City, Mayor Daley, James Houlihan, Joe Berrios, Mike Madigan, Michael Madigan, Chicago budget crisis, TIFs, tax-increment financing, TIF districts, property taxes, 7% cap, John Fritchey, Emil Jones, Rod Blagojevich, Cook County Assessor, Cook County Board of Review, homeowner exemption

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Blogs, Bleader, Oct 7, 2009
Yet another attempt to prevent a parking meter redux

A group of aldermen float a new proposal requiring that privatization deals receive more scrutiny before they're voted on. Others wonder why the City Council needs a new law to help it do its job.
- by Mick Dumke
- Tags: Politics, Clout City, Chicago City Council, budget, budget deficit, privatization, property taxes, lease agreements, parking meters, parking meter lease deal, Scott Waguespack, Robert Fioretti, Mayor Richard M. Daley

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The mayor prepares to take tax money from public education and use it on a sports facility for DePaul.

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State representative Rita Mayfield isn't from the city, but who else is sticking up for its taxpayers?

Tools

A riveting film in which city officials sorta explain tax increment financing

Tools

Mayor Emanuel doles out TIF and charter money—and cuts cops and libraries

Tools

Cook County assessor Joe Berrios sends out property tax assessments, which require a fun-filled explanation.

Tools

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If housing prices are in the tank, and property taxes are based on property values, why are my property taxes going up?

Tools

The Englewood TIF coughs up $3 million to help bridge Chicago's budget gap.

Tools

The Mayor says property taxes won't go up. And who knows? Maybe he's right this time.

Tools

The state legislature ends the week without a state budget.

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Would-be assessor Joe Berrios doesn't have to win over taxpayers. He just has to keep Forrest Claypool off the ballot.

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The guilty plea and prison sentence of his ally Isaac Carothers has awakened the reformer within Mayor Daley.

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Privatization? Parking Meters? Property taxes? There's an archive for that.

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The Trib goes after Michael Madigan and his firm, powerful property tax law heavyweights Madigan & Getzendanner.

Tools

In the Cook County assessor's race: the insider, the outsider, or the guy with no phone?

Tools

Alderman Tom Allen makes history by daring to question the mayor's pet financing scheme in City Council chambers.

Tools

We have some follow-up questions to the questions other outlets have been asking him about our stories.

Tools

Mayor Daley says he’s not raising property taxes. But he is. Here’s how.

Tools

Confused by the phaseout of the 7% property tax cap? Here's the deal, from the annals of Ben Joravsky's property tax reporting.

Tools

A group of aldermen float a new proposal requiring that privatization deals receive more scrutiny before they're voted on. Others wonder why the City Council needs a new law to help it do its job.