Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced this afternoon that he intends to go ahead with a plan to layoff over 1,000 city workers tomorrow to help close the city budget gap.  WBEZ quoted AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall in response:

Lindall says labor leaders recognize the tight financial situation. But he says Daley should explore other options, including dipping into the rainy-day fund, before asking workers to take more pay cuts.

In recent years, when it's come time to crunch the numbers, Daley has used one of two tools: asset privatization or mass layoffs.  Wouldn't it be nice to see him think a little more creatively?  As we noted earlier this week, his tax increment financing (TIF) fiefdom ended last year with a $1 billion surplus, according to documents released by the city's community development department, which added that $450 million to $650 million of that amount is obligated this year.  That means hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars are just going to sit idly this year, even as 1,000 Chicago workers lose their jobs.  

While we're thinking creatively, here's another idea: There are 15 TIF districts scheduled to expire between now and 2015 (you can find them on the city's document).  Why not terminate some or all of those early?  How much property tax revenue would that redirect back to the general tax base?  We're looking into it.