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TIFs Wed Feb 08 2012
The Golden Toilet Strikes Back!
Protesters brought out the golden toilet once again in a rally aimed at Mayor Rahm Emanuel, demanding that he designate TIF funds towards jobs at schools, libraries and clinics.
The gilded john was marched to City Hall, where protesters associated with the Grassroots Collaborative were told it needed to stay outside.
The golden toilet was first seen at the Board of Trade on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The toilet is a reference to $15 million in TIF money that was to be used to renovate bathrooms for the CME Group. In exchange for this money, CME agreed to create hundreds of jobs and keep it's headquarters in Chicago.
CME has since returned the money to the City, but about 50 protesters marched the toilet from the Board of Trade to City Hall to ask the mayor to use the money to create public sector jobs.
"We are ready to get that money for jobs for our people," said Charles Brown, a board member of Action Now. "No more TIF money for millionaires."
Upon arrival at City Hall, the protesters were informed by police officers that golden toilets, as well as the giant check and signs they carried, are not allowed inside City Hall. The Grassroots Collaborative brought with them a letter for the mayor, which was received by a member of his staff.
One protester joked that the mayor was probably busy on his golden toilet, "making a deposit."
