Update: Several readers have asked how to download and print this. Go here. We had the best success downloading and then printing it. Printing it directly from Scribd's site made it too big for the paper size. Of course, you may have better printers.
Background please? I know not of this fish farm.
ReplyDeleteA Poster.
ReplyDeleteA Poem.
Is the farm to raise catfish for Popeyes?
ReplyDeleteHelen thinks she is Jesus "feeding the multitude" of homeless shelters with her fish and veggies.
ReplyDeleteI like this poster. Would be nice to slap it up many places around the 'hood.
Wilson Avenue Watcher, read the Lake Effect news article linked here.
ReplyDeleteShe is completely out of her mind. Raising fish?
ReplyDeleteGive me a break like that is so easy to do and then she is going to use it for school lunch programs.
I hope people aren't that stupid to realize how far fetched this is.
You think USDA is just going to say ok.
Where does she come up with this ideas? While passing the bong pipe?
What's the best way to print the "Fish" poster? It needs to be posted and shared.
ReplyDeleteI would kick in 25 bucks or more to have these printed and placed all over Uptown.
ReplyDeleteThis statement is not true, Wilson Yard TIF money was given to Uplift and Stewart.
ReplyDeleteUptown girl what part is not true? They Fish Farm? That the Tiffs divert much needed funds?
ReplyDeleteBack up your statement showing not 1 dollar is diverted away from school funds for tiff projects.
Helen like the rest of the Government is off her freaking rocker with spending on useless pork projects. Unreal what she feels she can do with OTHER PEOPLES MONEY.
You're right UG but you neglect to mention that the money from the TIF does not go into general operating expenses of the schools; only special school projects. Those expenses use our tax dollars; well actually, it all uses our tax dollars.
ReplyDeleteHelen would have us think that TIF dollars is all free and doesn't hurt the school funding. That's make believe and we're adults who don't believe in make believe, right UG?
Indeed.
ReplyDelete$1.4M was given to Uplift from the Wilson Yard TIF.
Not sure how much Stewart got; but, I'm sure there are kids in other schools that could better use the money that Helen wants to flush down her fishing hole.
The point, though, being that schools should be funded directly via property taxes, not filtered through a TIF; which (as Helen has consistently proved) mutes the voices of those being taxed, and with vested interest in the community.
Allowing any alderman the privilege to pick and choose which projects get funded via a TIF is inherently elitist.
Not that I'm calling Helen an elitist - since she's "worked" so hard to paint herself as the polar opposite of such; but, it's a hard argument to defend someone's high-minded bona fides on finding solutions amongst the many diverse voices in this community while so blatantly and impolitely ignoring and badmouthing dissent.
But, I digress ....
Per the Neighborhood Capitol Budget Group report from 2006:
But existing TIF policy does not give communities adequate oversight powers to set TIF spending priorities. CPS has no clear policy for determining which schools in TIFs could benefit, and how the decisions are made to fund particular school projects over others. Given the high costs of school construction, heavy reliance on TIF can drain away resources for community economic development.
I'd love to be proven wrong here...
ReplyDeleteI doubt the local schools could have received as much from the TIF as were forfeited for 23 years to the TIF.
Hey Chip.
ReplyDeleteThe statement from the poster is untrue. TIF money has been invested at Uplift and at Stewart school. If you look up Wilson Yard TIF on the city of chicago website you can find the information.
The fish farm hasn't had one dime of TIF money, as of yet.
Nice to have you back chip.
The Uplift/Stewart TIF funding was part of the original WY TIF plan.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, the poster would be incorrect; however, since the tax payers have already footed that bill, and there appear to be no direct funding to schools from this newest amendment from Shiller, the poster is actually correct.
Per this bullet point from the original-original TIF scope:
Facilitate the improvement and expansion of existing public facilities as needed, such as Arai and Stewart Schools, and area parks.
I can think of one, specific "public facility" which should be prioritized for "improvement" which is MUCH more "needed" than a damned fishing hole, and veggie farm.
Seriously, does anyone think this place will be able to subsidize a school menu? And what happens if the crops fail and fish die?
Short version: Helen either didn't think this through, or she's blowing movie theater and mixed-income smoke again.
Or both.
She's heroically keen minded in her idiocy, I'll grant her that.
Shorter version: don't give this woman any more $$ to help out her cronies while vital city services are in jeopardy.
Why is this TIF fund so often amended to fund any other project that arises? For as much as I am opposed to the shiny new Wilson Yard Slum and subsidized Target, I am more opposed to our tax dollars funding every one of Helen's whims! I really had hope for Uptown when I bought 11 years ago, but very little has changed...
ReplyDeleteA link has been added to a PDF printable version of the poster.
ReplyDeleteI believe that upwards of 40 percent + of a Chicago real estate tax bill goes to fund schools.
ReplyDeleteThe schools are still losing tax dollars through the use of this TIF.
The TIF process is so corrupt and oblivious to almost all attempts at being "open" that it should be eliminated.
If any improvements are needed just fund them through the normal tax stream. Anything else just provides the Mayor and his aldermanic lapdogs a funding stream which is as much hidden as it is open.
"It's not tax money. It's TIF money. It's magical. Like a leprechaun and his pot o gold".
In the end a tax is a tax is a tax. Whether there are commas there or not.
End TIFS and TIF abuse will end.
Friends don't let friends fund TIFS".