Vermont enabled tax increment financing (TIF) for the city of Burlington in 1985, in keeping with a nationwide trend at the time. TIF is still a major player in the state's redevelopment efforts to this day.

Will Jason writes on the subject of tax increment financing (TIF), specifically as deployed as an economic development tool in the state of Vermont.
TIF functions by earmarking property tax revenues from increased real estate values in a defined district. Cities can use the revenue for development, whether public infrastructure or direct subsidies for private projects. However, as research has shown, TIF comes with hidden costs, from the loss of funds for schools and other local public services to a lack of accountability that can often lead to the questionable expenditure of tax dollars.
Jason credits active state oversight for insulating Vermont from some of the common risks associated with TIF, but also writes that Vermont still lacks a clear answer for a very fundamental question: "Does it truly stimulate new economic activity?"
Bruce Seifer, who helped lead the economic development office in Burlington for three decades, is quoted in the article, making the case for the benefits of the TIF program in the city of Burlington.
A study by University of Illinois at Chicago Professor David Merriman published in fall 2018 suggests that TIF programs do not achieve their stated goals of economic development.
The state of Vermont followed suit with its own study:
Last year, at the direction of the legislature, Vermont’s Legislative Joint Fiscal Office published a study that examined the performance of the state’s 10 active TIF districts. Comparing projected TIF revenues against revenues under a hypothetical scenario with no TIF, the study projects that from 2017 to 2030 TIF will cost the state about $68 million in school revenue (Vermont has an unusual statewide funding system for schools), and cost municipal general funds a total of $43 million, although it didn’t account for non-property tax revenues. It concluded that the economic benefits of TIF are uncertain.
Still, Vermont and its communities remain bullish on TIF, and Jason describes the state's approach to the program as effectively safeguarded against risk.
FULL STORY: Vermont Attempts a Kinder, Gentler TIF—But Will it Work?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie