Not All TIFs Are Bad — Just the Ones that Aren’t Real TIFs Are Bad!

Commentary
By John A. Ostenburg

Even lots of informed citizens, when they hear about TIF districts, have a negative reaction. TIFs have a bad reputation and it’s not totally undeserved.

First of all, let’s define what constitutes a TIF district. The acronym stands for tax increment financing. A TIF district is a set geographic region in which a tax increment financing program is in place. In Illinois, state law requires that the geographic region designated…