Mike Quigley and the ever-evolving TIF reform fight

I took a trip down memory lane the other morning , biking over to Logan Square to have breakfast with the great Jeremy Thompson.

What’s that? Don’t know the name? I can understand. Guys like Jeremy don’t usually get a whole lot of attention.

But if there were a TIF hall of fame—as opposed to the ongoing hall of shame—he’d have a plaque alongside Congressman Mike Quigley.

To appreciate Jeremy’s role, let’s go back to the spring of 2006. Mayor Daley—remember him?—was on the ropes, thanks to an assortment of scandals. Rumor had it that the feds might actually be working their way up the City Hall food chain, so to speak, with some sort of mayoral indictment.

As if President Bush would ever let prosecutors indict his favorite Democrat.

As a result of the rumors, politicians all over town were contemplating a mayoral run, including Quigley, then a relatively little-known commissioner on the Cook County board.

In part to help himself break out of the pack, Quigley decided to fight the good fight against that dastardly devil known as tax increment financing.

Remember: it doesn’t matter why politicians do the right thing, as long as they do it.

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