Incentive proponents argue they help underwrite projects that wouldn’t otherwise be built, but more residents are questioning whether they are used when they aren’t necessary and divert too much revenue from schools and public services.

While much of the debate has focused on better incentive vetting and curtailing their use in stronger neighborhoods, the transparency piece is “one of the keys,” said SLDC Director Otis Williams.

More transparency has also been championed by local advocacy group Team TIF. The group, which pushes for city incentive reform, recently proposed draft legislation to require greater transparency in how they’re granted.

“A lot of the stuff we’ve been asking for, they could easily be doing now without any kind of expensive new online portal,” said Glenn Burleigh, a member of Team TIF. “These are basic good-government transparency things that need to happen.”