James Crawford

Jim is senior counsel in Taft’s Public Finance and Economic Development practice group. With more than 40 years of experience in governmental finance and law, Jim has been nationally recognized for his work at the state, county and local levels of government. He has successfully represented clients as bond counsel, tax counsel, issuer’s counsel, borrower’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel. He has been listed as nationally recognized bond counsel in The Bond Buyer’s Municipal Marketplace (the “Redbook”) for more than 30 years.

An industry leader in legal matters relating to government funding and economic development incentives, Jim has written legislation including the Indiana Property Tax Abatement Statute, Indiana Hoosier Business Investment Credit – Accelerated Statute, Indiana Urban Homestead Statute and also made critical revisions to the Indiana Unsafe Building Statute and Indiana’s affordable housing property tax assessment statute.

Served as bond counsel for more than 75 affordable housing bond issues.

• Served as tax credit equity investor’s counsel for lower-tier investments for more than 125 affordable housing tax credit and historic rehabilitation tax credit projects.
• Served as counsel on the structuring and negotiation of more than 100 economic development incentive packages, including for a global aerospace company that was then the largest incentive package to-date in the state of Indiana which required amending state law in mid-legislative session to monetize tax credits up front.
• Served as bond or bank counsel on $1 billion principal amount of cash flow borrowings.
• Served as bond counsel or underwriter’s counsel on over $2 billion in sports facility bond financings.
• Structured tax increment financing credit enhancements that utilized new market tax credits and bonds for a manufacturing facility and hotel and water park.
• Served as bond counsel for numerous bonds utilizing tax increment funds and local income tax.
• Established numerous tax increment financing districts and allocation areas.
• Represented tax credit investor in CReED tax credit financing for mixed use facility.