Mayoral hopefuls riff on TIFs

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Carol Moseley Braun (from left), Miguel del Valle, James Meeks, Gery Chico and William "Dock" Walls at Thursday's candidate forum. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times

Updated: April 19, 2011 5:09AM

Five mayoral candidates seeking to make the grade with Chicago teachers discussed education leadership and funding Thursday night.

All agreed for transparency in tax-increment financing (TIF), which diverts property tax dollars from designated districts to boost development in blighted areas.

But some areas not considered hard up for business have gained the designation, and when those tax dollars are diverted, other entities pick up the slack, some noted.

William “Dock” Walls suggested sunsetting TIF status in districts that are not truly blighted.

“We’re all saying the same thing,” City Clerk Miguel del Valle said at Operating Engineers Hall, 2260 S. Grove. “The question is what’s going to happen after April 5? What are we going to do to make sure that never again will a TIF be awarded to an area that’s not blighted?”

State Sen. James Meeks called on his fellow candidates to be more assertive in challenging the TIFs, a favorite of Mayor Daley. “If we all agree, we should all start saying it,” he said.

Radio show host Cliff Kelley moderated the event — sponsored by Cook County Teachers Union Local 1600, international Union of Operating Engineers Local 143, SUIE Local 73 and Access Living--where educational resources was a major concern.

“The money is there. It’s just a matter of prioritizing,” former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun said.

Former Chicago Public School Board president Gery Chico said he would support casino money being used to help fund schools. He also would propose cutting central office staffing by about one-third and moving resources into neighborhood schools.

Walls said he opposed using gaming money to fund schools, but said he would be open to granting naming rights for the schools.

The candidates also agreed that the next leader of the schools must have a background in education.

“We have to have a superintendant of Chicago Pubic Schools, not a CEO,” Walls said. “We have to have an education first model; not a business first model.”