As far as we can tell, both of Chicago's daily newspapers failed to devote a single article -- in print or online -- to Monday's hearing on Alds. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward) and Manny Flores' (1st Ward) TIF transparency ordinance.  Indeed, the only available reports on the hearing came from us and the Chicago Reader.

It's important to remember that this sort of silence from major media outlets is exactly what the opponents of this common-sense reform want to see.  After all, if Chicago residents don't know the ordinance exists, they won't be outraged when it gets buried.

Meanwhile, in a blog post yesterday, Ben Joravsky made a good point about Ald. Marge Laurino's (39th Ward) argument that her commitee needed more time to examine the TIF ordinance:

That's funny. Aldermen Scott Waguespack and Manny Flores have been pushing this proposal since mid-January, which means the council has had two months to discuss it. That's more time than the total they needed to agree to sell Midway Airport, lease city parking meters, set aside $500 million to fund the Olympics, and put up another $85 million to start building the Olympic Village. The difference: Mayor Daley wanted those things done. Stat.

Speaking of "time," we hear reports that aldermen spent over an hour this morning giving speeches on the council floor in commemoration of Ed Burke's 40th anniversary in City Hall.  Wonder if Berny Stone slept through that one ...