- The charity founded by former Chicago first lady Maggie Daley received more than $900,000 in mostly undisclosed contributions from companies subsidized by much-criticized special taxing districts, according to a report released today by the city’s top internal watchdog.
After School Matters got 16 contributions — far more any other private, non-profit charity — found in the fine print of tax increment finance district agreements negotiated by city officials and aldermen under former Mayor Richard Daley, Inspector General Joseph Ferguson’s report states.
Ferguson, who has criticized the city’s use of special taxing districts, said city officials were unable to explain exactly how and why charities received money. There is no oversight and no guidelines to evaluate the programs that got money.
So TIF beneficiaries were subsidizing a charity run by the mayor's wife? Can someone open a formal investigation yet? There's a whole boatload of people who need to spend some time in federal prison here. And if it happens to be people with police bodyguards and free drivers, then Rahm can count them among his "1,000" returning to the streets when their principal is spending the next 4 to 8 years behind bars.