Alderman Says Mayor Wasted Money Repaving Streets That Didn T Need It

       On the day Mayor Emanuel released footage of Laquan McDonald’s murder, I was driving through the south side, checking out the potholes with 17th Ward alderman David Moore.



       In this case, Moore had enlisted me in his effort to figure out why the mayor was paving streets that were in relatively good condition.



       I know! Let’s spend about $800,000 paving some streets on South Racine that don’t need repaving.



       The repaving was paid for with money from, what else, a TIF—in this case, the 79th Street Corridor tax increment financing district.



    The first time I heard about the rookie TIF hustle was in 2005. That’s when newly elected 35th Ward alderman Rey Colon discovered that TIF money intended to fund development on Milwaukee near Fullerton was in fact being used to convert a factory into condos about a mile or so up the road in another ward.



       For example, the Canal Congress TIF district, located downtown, brought in about $20 million last year. In contrast, the 79th Street Corridor collected just $648,000.