You can’t talk about the fiscal health of the City of Chicago without mentioning Tax Increment Financing. Yesterday we talked with an official from the city to learn more about the ins and outs of this complex development tool, one the city’s been using since 1984. For another perspective, we turn to reporter Angela Caputo, who writes for the Progress Illinois blog. That blog, by the way, is funded by the Illinois State Council of the Service Employees International Union. Caputo got our attention last November when she fact-checked Mayor Richard M. Daley’s responses to our questions about the city’s TIF districts.

Related:
City Responds to TIF Criticisms

Music Button: Caspa, “Back to ‘93”, from the CD Everybody’s Talking Nobody’s Listening, (Fabric records)