Chicago's EDGE tax credit program is under public scrutiny prior to signature by Governor Rauner. Is EDGE effective? Why offer incentive programs?

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Snapshot
One step closer to the (revamped) EDGE
Source: JLL Research, Illinois Policy, PEW, Council for Community and Economic Research
*Illinois does not have an internal or external system in place for auditing
effectiveness, quality or scope of its individual tax incentive programs.
Jane Acker | jane.acker@am.jll.com
• Set for renewal this month, the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Program (EDGE) is re-
focusing on capital investments and net new job creation, with tighter requirements in both areas for firms with over
100 employees.
• Illinois is not alone in offering 21 incentive programs. States like Wisconsin and New York have 50 and 44 incentive
programs respectively. Nationally, state incentives grew 90.9 percent from 1999 to 2017, with tax credits remaining
the most common program type.
August 21, 2017
Chicago
Timeline of the EDGE Tax Credit Program
2001
EDGE
begins
Total tax credits issued
through 2016, averaging
$1.6M per credit
$1.4B
37,122 jobs
created from
2001-2016
Evaluations of
tax incentives’
effectiveness*
Apr.
2017
Jun.
2022
56-0 Senate vote
in favor of HB
162 for EDGE
EDGE
expires
21
Total economic
development
incentives in
Illinois
New expiration date
for EDGE, pending
Rauner’s signature
2016 0
Aug.
13