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We Crowdsource 2012 TIF Totals
Thanks to eight volunteers The TIF Illumination Project has analyzed all 154 of Chicago ‘s 154 2012 TIF Annual Reports. We determined that at the end of 2012 these TIFs had a combined fund balance of...
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152 TIFs Illuminated!
Tom gave an update to a group of TIF Illumination Project organizers today at the CivicLab. The TIF illumination Project was launched in February and six months later we’ve Illuminated 152 TIFs across...
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WBEZ Explains The TIF Program
Watch this creative and fast moving seven minute video from WBEZ’s “Curious City” Project. Learn more at the CivicLab’s TIF Illumination Project. Does Tom look better animated? TweetTweet
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DePaul Stadium Forum Illuminates 2nd Ward
Students as DePaul organized a public forum on the proposed DePaul Stadium and asked for an Illumination of the 17 TIFs inside the 2nd Ward – spotlighting the site and adjacent TIFs. This research is...
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Civic Health Of Chicago
Check out this graphic from the Civic Data Challenge: by lydiahooper. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually. TweetTweet
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Restore the Fourth Rally
“What do we want? Privacy! Why do we want it? None of your business!” On Saturday, Oct 26th, Restore the Fourth Chicago and supporters gathered in Federal Plaza for a rally against mass...
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Tom Teaches Workshop On Nonprofit Basics
Is there a cause you feel passionate about? Is there an injustice that needs righting? Are you inspired to serve and innovate for the common good? If so – then you may be thinking about starting a...
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“Who Owns West Woodlawn?” Town Meeting
Tom will be presenting on the TIFs of the 20th Ward at this town meeting. TweetTweet
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CivicLab Welcomes Move To Amend!
CivicLab welcomes Toma Lynn Smith, from Move To Amend, to the Lab! “Formed in September 2009, Move to Amend is a coalition of hundreds of organizations and tens of thousands of individuals committed to...
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YOU Can Run For Local Office!
Unhappy about the way your local government is running? Stop complaining and BE the government! That’s right, YOU can run for local office and become part of the solution to persistent problems and...
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You Can Run For Local Office…
..or help someone you know and support run for local office! On December 3 master organizers Kitty Kurth and Kevin Lampe conducted a workshop on the basics of running for local office. We had a packed...
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Read “State of Deception.” Then Join Restore The Forth
From the December 16 issue of The New Yorker. “It is evident from the Snowden leaks that Obama inherited a regime of dragnet surveillance that often operated outside the law and raised serious...
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“TIF 101″ Workshop Wednesday
It’s strangely entertaining this workshop is. Come by The CivicLab on December 18 at 6:30pm to get the basics on TIFs. It’s only $10 and you can quickly register at Eventbrite @...
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Perils Of Privatization
Historian and reporter for The Nation Rick Perlstein is doing a series of articles on the perils of privatization. In this 13 minute interview on WBEZ he lays out the reasons to be very skeptical about...
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TIF Illuminators Testify
Got a few minutes? Then watch these brief videos from TIF Illuminators Maureen, Don, Bill and Marjorie as they explain why they got involved in the TIF Illumination Project. The recordings were made...
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Holiday Hours
The CivicLab wll be on holiday hours through January 1. Which means we’ll be mostly closed so call before coming by, OK? 312-857-6485. Best wishes for a Healthy & Happy New Year from all of us at...
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“TIF 201″ Workshop January 22
TIF 201 – Organizing Around The TIF Program The CivicLab Wednesday, January 22, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM Tax Increment Financing Districts have been in the news lately. Just WHAT are TIFs? HOW do...
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Who Plans What For Who? Let’s Look At Chicago Planning Efforts
Chicago Teachers For Social Justice and the CivicLab are collaborating for a six-week session where people come together to examine an issue in order to act. It’s called “Inquiry To Action” and the...
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