Emanuel Gets His TIF Bill.

Illinois lawmakers hand the mayor a victory and defer immediate action on regulating car-sharing firms, as the end of the fall veto session approaches.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel scored a victory on the development front, and a truce was called in a battle over how to regulate car-sharing firms in separate developments late yesterday in the General Assembly’s fall veto session.

In the first action, the Senate followed the lead of the House and voted to authorize the City Council to extend by 13 years the life of four city tax-increment financing districts, most notably the Goose Island TIF adjacent to the proposed River North development.

Details of exactly how those TIFs will be used and how much money they will provide have not been released. But according to city officials, tens of millions of dollars likely are headed to infrastructure and related needs in the districts.

Meanwhile, an effort to regulate car-sharing firms such as Turo in the same manner as car rental firms such as Enterprise and Hertz stalled when sponsors of a bill that would have done that failed to call it for an override of a veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The issue had sparked a massive lobbying campaign on both sides, with substantial campaign cash beginning to flow. Sponsors claimed they had the votes, but I’m told they agreed to talk peace after House Speaker Mike Madigan sent word that he’d prefer not to proceed with an override now. Beyond that, a couple of key lawmakers who favored an override were not able to attend this week’s session, I’m told.

In a statement, bill sponsors and the American Car Rental Association said they are “encouraged” that both sides have agreed to come to the bargaining table.

“We welcome peer-to-peer car rental platforms to join us to ensure greater consistency, fairness and safety on behalf of the entire industry,” said Greg Scott, government relations representative for the association.

The override previously had cleared the Senate. Details were not available on when a compromise might emerge, but it now won’t be until at least next year, since lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn for the year later today.

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

BY GREG HINZ

November 29, 2018 06:00 AM



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