Curtis Tillett's (ctillett) Blog

  Around this time every year is the Illinois State Fair, and it consistently proves to be one of the City’s most lucrative events. If one were to ask fair patrons why they attend the event year after year, they would probably say that it has to do with food, rides, or even the high dive show. Wh...

 One example of a City that strives to stay ahead of a struggling economy is Southfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Southfield’s response to high vacancy rates that resulted from reduced automotive production/sales over the past decade is a “retail development strategy” that will focus on two...

    Downtown Springfield, Inc. hosted the 13th annual “Taste of Downtown” this past weekend, and once again has shown the City that Downtown can still attract business and entice tourists to come to Springfield. There are many local restaurants who participate in the event: Augie’s Front Burner, ...

  On the brink of a fiscal disaster in 2011, the Illinois legislature at the request of the Governor passed a substantial tax increase for both individuals and corporations. The individual and corporate rates increased by 66%. Proponents of the changed indicated the new rates would allow the Stat...

  What is a TIF District? A Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) is an area segregated according to State Law in Illinois that has to meet certain criteria to be considered for this special designation. The criterion generally deals with blighted areas that without public assistance might remai...