Mayor Johnson's $50M Greyhound Station Plan Raises Eyebrows
In a surprise move, Mayor Brandon Johnson is planning to spend $50 million on a new Greyhound station over the next two years, with funds sourced from the Canal-Congress tax increment financing district. The plan, which was uncovered by Alderman Bill Conway, has left many wondering why the mayor's office didn't consult them before moving forward.
Conway, who stumbled upon the information while reviewing TIF reports, expressed shock at the news and questioned whether other projects are being kept under wraps to avoid additional taxpayer costs. "It's shocking," he said. "It makes me wonder what else is going on that we don't know about."
The $50 million earmarked for the new Greyhound station is just the latest example of how the mayor's office is tapping into tax increment financing districts to fund various projects. Last year, Johnson announced plans to use $71.9 million from the Canal-Congress TIF to support the Chicago Public Schools and bankroll a new contract with the teachers union.
However, this move has raised concerns about where the money will come from next. The City Council is already facing pressure to increase taxes and fees amid rising costs, and some are questioning whether the mayor's office is using public funds to prop up private businesses like Twenty Lake Holdings, the owner of the property where the current Greyhound station sits.
Conway acknowledged that multimodal transportation is important for Chicago, but he wants to know how the city plans to address safety issues at the existing Greyhound station. "I want to make sure we're not just throwing money at a problem without solving it," he said.
The mayor's office has yet to comment on the plan, and some are left wondering what other projects may be underway without their knowledge or consultation. As Conway noted, "the lack of transparency is a major issue here."
In a surprise move, Mayor Brandon Johnson is planning to spend $50 million on a new Greyhound station over the next two years, with funds sourced from the Canal-Congress tax increment financing district. The plan, which was uncovered by Alderman Bill Conway, has left many wondering why the mayor's office didn't consult them before moving forward.
Conway, who stumbled upon the information while reviewing TIF reports, expressed shock at the news and questioned whether other projects are being kept under wraps to avoid additional taxpayer costs. "It's shocking," he said. "It makes me wonder what else is going on that we don't know about."
The $50 million earmarked for the new Greyhound station is just the latest example of how the mayor's office is tapping into tax increment financing districts to fund various projects. Last year, Johnson announced plans to use $71.9 million from the Canal-Congress TIF to support the Chicago Public Schools and bankroll a new contract with the teachers union.
However, this move has raised concerns about where the money will come from next. The City Council is already facing pressure to increase taxes and fees amid rising costs, and some are questioning whether the mayor's office is using public funds to prop up private businesses like Twenty Lake Holdings, the owner of the property where the current Greyhound station sits.
Conway acknowledged that multimodal transportation is important for Chicago, but he wants to know how the city plans to address safety issues at the existing Greyhound station. "I want to make sure we're not just throwing money at a problem without solving it," he said.
The mayor's office has yet to comment on the plan, and some are left wondering what other projects may be underway without their knowledge or consultation. As Conway noted, "the lack of transparency is a major issue here."
. 50 million dollars for a Greyhound station? Come on! That's just a waste of taxpayer money. And now we're gonna have to shell out even more cash because the mayor's office didn't bother to consult with anyone else? It's so not surprising. They just do what they want and expect everyone else to foot the bill 
.
I mean, have you guys noticed how city officials are always trying to sneak stuff past us? Like, Mayor Johnson's plan to spend $50 million on a new Greyhound station outta the blue without consulting anyone else? It's wild. 
What if there are more projects hiding under the rug? 
How's the safety at that current station gonna get better with just more cash? 
. Thats not how you do transparency... or maybe thats just me 
. I think they should show us where this money is comin from, instead of hidin it under the rug. 
. How are we gonna fund all these TIF projects without increasing taxes or fees even more? The city's already got its hands full trying to keep up with the cost of living 
And what's up with the tax increment financing district thingy? Is it just a fancy way to say "we're gonna take some money from other people's pockets" 
? Like, maybe it'll bring in some new businesses and jobs and stuff 
? But on the other hand, shouldn't we be more transparent about where our money is going? 
And what's with the TIF districts anyway? It sounds like just another way for the mayor to give huge sums of cash to his buddies without us having to vote on it