Alex Nitkin

Gov't Finance & Accountability reporter, @IllinoisAnswers/@BetterGov. Formerly of @thedailylinechi, @trdchicago & @DNAinfoChi. Tips: [email protected]

[Brenden Moore @brendenmoore13]

The blue tsunami is wiping through the Illinois General Assembly too. It appears GOP Sens. Darby Hills and Seth Lewis have lost. Retiring Sen. Don DeWitte’s seat is flipping blue. And Sens. Erica Hariss, Craig Wilcox and Dave Syverson(!!) are all losing.

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

My perennial #1 Chicago Election Day take:
Avoid early-voting the day before E-Day! Big crowds + limited polling places (1 per ward) = long lines.
At this point, just wait til tomorrow and vote at your local precinct. You’ll be in and out in minutes.

[Leigh Giangreco @LeighGiangreco]

Thought the line for early voting in Lincoln Park would be shorter on a Monday but…not the case! Ran into Jessica Biggs getting in her last minute pitch to voters

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

@bellwak Does he like Huey Lewis and the News??

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

Read our full story here:
https://t.co/AYN8Kw91NC

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

New from @drewjayadams and me: a candidate for Chicago mayor accidentally made registered voters' personal data available on his campaign website, effectively doxing 1.5 million city voters.
The issue has since been fixed — after we informed the campaign.
(🧵)

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

The campaign then put its policy proposals behind an email wall.
https://t.co/BapVS6yVw6
I added my name and email and requested access so that we could continue reporting on the campaign. No access was provided.

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

@Amanda_Kass Did you find the solution?

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

After years of dismissing calls for proactive safety inspections (the norm in many other big cities) Chicago officials now call it a long-range goal — and a registry could be the first step, they say.
Full story here:
https://t.co/Ru7XtEvTZs

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

The City Council could be on the verge of a huge step in the years-long fight for Chicago to adopt a comprehensive apartment registry.
One reason that matters: many of the buildings that rack up the most buildings violations have unclear owners, via @drewjayadams & me:

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

Important story about millions in critical infrastructure funds being put at risk by spotty bookkeeping:

[Grace Hauck @grace_hauck]

In May, an IDOT employee sent Evanston officials an urgent email: She directed the city to pause transfers out of its motor fuel tax fund, saying the city may owe the account "millions,” with “deficiencies” through 2024 over $14 million. https://t.co/u1wNl6844z

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

The city has been trying to make this happen since the first Emanuel administration. In case you’re wondering how long it takes to acquire property from railroads.
https://t.co/eqX2WJ45Yq
(Shoutout to intrepid Sauganash beat reporter @HeatherCherone)

[Streetsblog Chicago @streetsblogchi]

The upcoming public meeting on the Weber Spur is your chance to grill CDOT officials about the trail proposal.
https://t.co/Aga9kujtd8

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

@chicagobars 550K people ride CTA buses every day. More than ride trains. Not a small constituency!

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

By declaring larger and larger surpluses, city leaders have been able to use this obscure development tool as a back-door loophole to raise hundreds of millions for everyday operating costs.
Read our full story:
https://t.co/R95B7oMjl4

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

Tax-increment financing is opaque and complicated, arguably by design. So last year, we had an idea: what if we could show the actual impact of TIFs on all of our tax bills?
Today, we've published the result:
🧵

[Alex Nitkin @AlexNitkin]

TIFs reduce the taxable value available for local governments to levy on, which pushes rates higher.
We've worked for more than a year with @miurbanchicago to develop a tool that lets you look up how much.
https://t.co/4o1S33fFmw
Data is based on @AssessorCook's PTAX simulator.