Property owners in several south and southwestern Cook County suburbs might want to ask their municipal officials how they intend to spend windfalls in tax increment financing district revenues this year.

In Tinley Park, for example, $3.4 million from 2020 taxes will pour into village coffers, up from $1.6 million for 2019.

Chicago Heights gets to control $4.8 million in TIF dollars this year, up from a paltry $1.4 million last year.

Calumet City’s new mayor will decide the fate of $3.9 million in TIF money, whereas his predecessor only got to play with $1.5 million during her final year in office.

Overall TIF revenues from south and west suburbs shot up 28% this year, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough said Thursday. Yarbrough said a homeowner asked her about TIF revenue during an outreach event last weekend in the south suburbs.

“I was asked that question, ‘How do we hold our municipalities accountable?’ ” Yarbrough said. “They’re kind of bewildered.”

Critics have described TIF revenues as secret slush funds controlled by mayors. But citizens can find out where the money goes if they ask questions, Yarbrough said.

Local officials in Illinois have used TIFs for about 40 years to redevelop blighted areas. Typically, when a municipality creates a TIF district, schools and other taxing bodies see their revenues frozen for the next 23 years.

The town collects taxes on the increased property value and is

supposed to spend the money on infrastructure or other eligible improvements within the boundaries of the TIF district.

Cook County has 443 active TIF districts, with 132 in Chicago and 311 in the suburbs. Yarbrough’s office Thursday released an annual report detailing $1.5 billion in total revenues collected by all the county’s TIF districts.

TIF revenues in the north and northwest suburbs declined 5.6% this year compared to last because Rosemont and other towns canceled some TIF districts or allowed them to expire, Yarbrough said.

In the south and southwest suburbs, the spike in TIF revenues is related to the triennial reassessments of property values undertaken by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office in 2020, Yarbrough said. Total equalized assessed values increased 17% throughout the region, which drove tax rates down dramatically in many towns.

Now, the increases in property values are sending TIF revenues soaring throughout the Southland.

Homewood is seeing revenue from its six TIF districts double this year to $1.3 million from $670,056 in 2019. Money from Matteson’s six TIF districts totals $7.1 million this year compared to $4.3 million last year. Tiny Ford Heights is in store to receive $502,711 in TIF money this year, up from $206,983 last year.

Increases in property values are not the sole reason for the spikes in TIF revenues. Some towns are bringing in more money after creating new TIF districts in recent years.

Chicago Heights, for example, created its East Industrial TIF in 2018, one of five active TIF districts in town. The cash cow will haul in $2.7 million this year compared to $380,635 last year.

Burbank created three new TIF districts in 2019, which largely accounts for why revenues increased to $1.2 million this year from $430,362 a year ago.

Some TIFs are created because municipalities anticipated new developments that add value to formerly vacant land. Developers proposing to build a warehouse might negotiate reimbursements of private funds spent up front to extend roads, water and sewer lines, streetlights and sidewalks to the project.

In those instances, money from TIF windfalls may already be designated for specific purposes. People should ask their municipal officials how TIF funds are spent, Yarbrough said.

“The proceeds from TIF districts can be a great benefit for the development within respective TIF districts in communities,” she said. “But it can be a mixed bag for taxpayers.”

Not every town is seeing an increase this year. Harvey canceled two of its seven TIF districts during 2020 and saw its revenue fall to $3.2 million this year from $5.9 million for 2019. Riverdale revenues reverted to $1 million this year from $1.2 million a year ago.

Oak Forest saw revenue from its seven TIF districts decline to $1.6 million total this year from $2.1 million a year ago. Revenues from Markham’s five TIF districts fell to $4.9 million this year from $5.3 million a year ago, the clerk’s office reported.

Markham is an example of how municipalities may extend TIF districts for up to 35 years when they typically should expire after 23 years.

An active Markham TIF created in 1990 has brought in more than $24 million over its lifetime, while another TIF created in 1992 to serve an area along Dixie Highway has generated more than $40 million in revenue for the city.

Orland Park saw a dramatic decline in TIF revenue to $1.3 million this year from $4.6 million a year ago. The village created its sole active TIF district in 2004 to serve the Main Street Triangle area.

Many towns saw modest increases in revenue year over year. Lansing hauled in $7.8 million from its five TIFs this year, up from $5.9 million for 2019. Lemont also has five TIF districts, but they only brought in a combined $893,476 this year, up from $577,985 a year ago.

Oak Lawn’s six TIF districts generated $4.4 million in revenue, up from $3.6 million for 2019. Richton Park’s five TIF districts stand to collect $4.1 million this year, up from $3.2 million a year ago.

South Holland has eight TIF districts that will bring in a combined $4 million this year, up from $3.2 million for 2019. Sauk Village’s three TIF districts are expected to generate $6.3 million in revenue, up from $5.4 million a year ago.

Palos Heights pumped up its TIF revenues to $1 million this year from $425,265 for 2019. Park Forest is poised to pull in $3.2 million this year compared to $1.4 million a year ago. Pint-size Posen is primed to pocket $2.2 million from 2020, up from $1.2 million for 2019.

TIF revenues held steady in Crestwood at just under $1.8 million for the year. Evergreen Park, however, saw a big increase to $2 million this year from $1.3 million for 2019. Chicago Ridge stands to receive $1.7 million this year, up from $1.4 million a year ago.

More information about TIF revenues in Cook County is available on the clerk’s website.

Yarbrough said her office is responsible for compiling an annual report that calculates how much revenue each TIF district is expected to generate. However, taxpayers would have to ask their municipal officials how that money is spent, she said.

“We provide this to the media and the public for analysis and evaluation of TIF districts,” Yarbrough said.

“With the release of our report today we are encouraging Cook County residents to arm themselves with information about their local TIF districts so they’re not surprised when they see those deductions on their tax bills.”

Ted Slowik is a columnist for the Daily Southtown.

tslowik@tribpub.com