In one week, the three parties in the TIF lawsuit — that would be the Village of Oak Park, the District 97 elementary schools and District 200 OPRF High School — will enter non-binding mediation to attempt to bring an end to this absurd, and to taxpayers insulting, suit.
Two words: Settle this.
The Journal’s tally of taxpayer money being excreted into the hands of third-party lawyers now exceeds $400,000.
$400,000. Of our money. Our three largest taxing bodies are suing each other, spending our precious tax dollars to fight each other over the question of how much the village owes the high school before the TIF ends in 2018.
Four words: We blame District 200.
They brought this suit. They forced the elementary schools into the suit after District 97 and the village had already come to an agreement over the TIF. Since it makes little sense to spend $424,075 to fight over a couple million dollars, we are now coming to the conclusion that District 200 has a bigger target and that is to prematurely end the TIF entirely.
Of course, none of the parties will say that because, well, you see, they are friggin’ suing each other.
One word: Enough.
