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Evanston committee begins citywide review of TIF districts, debates porting, payback and potential extensions
Summary
City staff briefed the Finance & Budget Committee on the status of Evanston’s TIF districts, explained how 'porting' between adjacent TIFs works under state law, and presented options — including payback rules, sunset, or legislative extensions for districts like West Evanston. Committee directed staff to return in March with specific recommendations.
The Evanston Finance & Budget Committee spent the majority of its Feb. 4 meeting examining the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts and a staff referral to establish clearer local policies on when to port money between districts, whether ported funds should be repaid, and criteria for extending or sunsetting TIFs.
Paul Zalmazak, the city’s Economic Development Manager, told the committee that TIF is a funding source governed by Illinois law and that the city council must approve TIF expenditures above $25,000. On porting, Zalmazak said state statute permits moving funds between adjacent TIF districts but only where boundaries touch, and he warned that multi‑step transfers that move money across the city would run against the law’s intent. "You can port between a boundary, but you can't transfer it from one on the north through one to one that's adjacent," he said, describing…
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