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Quigley, who commissioned a report (PDF) critical of Mayor Daley’s TIF program, is being intentionally circumspect about his role in the ongoing behind-the-scenes struggle between the state’s most powerful elected officials. Here’s what going on.
For the last several years Blagojevich has held his tongue while Daley and schools CEO Arne Duncan rip the state for not providing more money for Chicago’s public schoools.
Blagojevich has the power to cut off Daley’s TIF slush fund. He could hold hearings on the program. He could oppose extending the Central Loop TIF. What’s at stake for the mayor? The Olympics, for one thing. As folks in Springfield will tell you, Daley’s looking to use the TIFs to pay for his games. If the state threatens to plug up his money pipeline, he’ll have to figure some other way to pay for them.
