August 8, 2013 by CallisonRTKL

Death and Taxes in Chicago

Find out why Keith Campbell actually likes paying his property taxes in Chicago. There are only two certainties, according to Benjamin Franklin. And death is a little too heavy a subject for You Are Here, so I’ll direct my observations only to paying property taxes in Chicago, and why it’s a great deal. That’s right, I like paying my property taxes here. Back in the day, we were known as the City That Works, and for good reason. Trash was picked up, snow was plowed, and if you were on good terms, your alderman could get you a fire truck and Bounce House for your block party. All was good. But we evolved, like all great cities do, and our quality of life bar is set a bit higher these days. So to meet our expectations, the City of Chicago devotes a small percentage of our taxes to an amazing city agency known as DCASE, or Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Think of it as a party planner for a guest list of three million. According to the DCASE website, their mission is “dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors.” That makes it sound a little stiff, in my opinion. The sheer breadth, depth, and quality of cultural experience that DCASE provides and coordinates in Chicago is staggering. Their business is creating fun stuff to do, all over the city. Pilates, Tai Chi, Yoga and Zumba in Millennium Park? Check. Neighborhood music festivals? Check. Farmers markets on every day of the week? Check. But that’s just boilerplate. DCASE organizes, presents and sponsors over 2,000 cultural events, big and small, over the entire year, and in case I forgot to mention, the events are usually free. Among other major events, DCASE coordinates and presents Chicago’s well-known and well attended Blues Festival, Jazz Festival, World Music Festival, Chicago Summerdance, and Taste of Chicago. Cities with the wherewithal to fund a city agency devoted to quality of life and well-being are rare these days. Those with the political will to make it happen are rarer still. It is evident that something greater than the desire to elevate human experience is at work here, and if I can venture a guess, I’d say its competition. Urban competition for an ever-expanding pool of resident and tourism dollars is driving a select group of World Cities to strut their stuff as never before. It is widely accepted now that the pricey and behind-schedule Millennium Park has exceeded anyone’s wildest projections as a tourism revenue generator for Chicago, and its success has hastened the development of nearby residential and academic uses, changing the face of Central Michigan Avenue forever. The quest for urban experience is the newest and arguably most important economic driver for cities. Who knew it would be so much fun? Image via Keith Campbell

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CallisonRTKL

For more than five decades, Callison and RTKL have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. In 2015, our two practices came together under the Arcadis umbrella, expanding our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team is comprised of nearly 2,000 creative, innovative professionals throughout the world who are committed to advancing our client’s businesses and enhancing quality of life.