11-15-11: TIF Tiff?

TIFs and PILOTs are two tax breaks often used by Baltimore City to spur development.  Those are acronyms – TIF stands for Tax Increment Financing, while PILOT is short for “payment in lieu of taxes.”  Last week, a task force led by Councilman Carl Stokes issued a report stating that the way we use these breaks needs to change.  The group says we need to do a better job of measuring the social benefits promised by developers who get these breaks –and that the whole process needs to be more transparent.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has used these breaks frequently in her quest for development.  So – what does this tiff over TIFs mean for the future of development in Baltimore?

Sheilah discusses it with Mark Reutter, reporter for the Baltimore Brew who’s been writing about the report–and the politics behind it.

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