Thank you for correcting the statement about taxes being higher across the entire county due to the TIFs. This is true. But for election purposes, we were focusing in on the local taxpayers.

The annual TIF tab that gets picked up by Cook County tax payers is approaching HALF A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. That’s the tax dollars sucked out of your pocket and given to people like Helen Shiller to dole out as she pleases, with no accountability whatsoever.

That’s reason enough to throw her out of office. You CANNOT trust this person with $100,000,000 plus of your Wilson Yard TIF tax dollars. Take a look at that photo at What The Helen?! of the Aldi we purchased with our tax dollars.

Then, take a look at our tax dollars hard at work removing the graffiti on that Aldi we boughtan opportunity for another community mural.

… BECAUSE of the TIF process. The WY fire was a decade ago. If that land had been sold off at market rate the CTA would be richer and the land would be contributing to the tax base and we would all have new neighbors an stores. But no, politicians got involved and wanted to show the world how to do “the most inclusive process ever.”

When a City establish a TIF district, the TIF is fed by siphoning property tax revenue that would have gone to ALL the other units of local government that rely on property taxes, including the County and forest preserve districts, for example.

So everyone in Cook County is helping subsidize Wilson Yard.

Don’t sell it short!

Actually, it’s paid for by ALL the residents of the 46th ward, because EVERYONE’S TAXES ARE HIGHER DUE TO THE WILSON YARD TIF!

There’s a photo up at What The Helen?! now.

Cappleman definitely has some passion behind his campaign. If the blogosphere is representative of the ward at large, Shiller has some real work to do in the next month. Having just spent five years in Philadelphia, which is very complacent politically, I’m fascinated by the heated politics here. I’ll definitely post more on the 46th soon.

Sorry I couldn’t make the pizza party. Maybe next time!

As a community activist and past president of Uptown Chicago Commission, he was responsible for having a poorly-run shelter closed that placed sex offenders in the same building as a daycare center (no one was left out on the streets; the residents were placed in better-run, reputable housing). He worked with the liquor commissioner, and as a result, most/all of the area liquor stores voluntarily quit selling 40-oz’ers and half-pints, so the streets are now much cleaner. He’s encouraged people to donate to organizations that help the homeless rather than giving to the area’s panhandlers.

He’s a social worker and knows how to help the poor, rather than providing “band-aid” care, which has been the status quo in Uptown for years. I’ve known and admired James for several years and I look forward to seeing what he can accomplish as our alderman.

We are having a pizza party at the campaign office today. Please stop by, would love to meet you. 6pm”ish” http://www.jamesfor46ward.com