In an earlier blog post, the Civic Federation analyzed the FY2020 budget enacted by the General Assembly. At the time, the State had not yet released a summary of appropriated amounts for capital, and so the analysis offered was preliminary. When Governor Pritzker signed the capital appropriations and revenue bills, the Governor’s Office released a report allowing for more detailed analysis. The most distinguishing feature of the Rebuild Illinois capital plan enacted with the FY2020 budget is…
The State of Illinois has not had a major capital plan for a decade, and it is clear that capital needs are outpacing resources. While there is near universal agreement, including by the Civic Federation, that significant investment is necessary to maintain and expand Illinois’ infrastructure, the Federation cannot support any capital plan that does not include: A comprehensive assessment and transparent prioritization of needs; and Identification of reliable, sustainable funding sources…
Click here to read the full report. Click here to read the press release for this analysis. SUMMARY Amid one of the longest economic expansions in U.S. history, the State of Illinois still faces daunting fiscal challenges. The list includes chronic operating deficits, a multi-billion dollar backlog of unpaid bills, crushing public pension costs and five consecutive years of population loss. Illinois has the lowest credit rating of any state and is ranked as one of the worst…
It has been ten years since Illinois’ last major capital bill, but a new one may come as soon as next month. Whether any bill that emerges adequately addresses Illinois’ capital needs depends on whether the General Assembly and…
Click here to read the full report. Click here to read the press release for this report. AT A GLANCE Prior to the release of the Governor’s annual budget recommendation, the Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability at the Civic Federation releases an analysis of the State of Illinois’ fiscal condition. This report presents the Civic Federation’s multi-year plan to stabilize Illinois’ finances. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The State of Illinois FY2020 Roadmap describes the State of…
The Illinois General Assembly passed a budget for fiscal year 2019 on May 31, 2018 and Governor Rauner signed it into law on June 4, 2018. The Institute for Illinois' Fiscal Sustainability has since then continued to analyze the enacted State of Illinois budget, releasing periodic updates via the IIFS blog. All of the enacted budget content is gathered on this page for readers’ convenience. Illinois Passes Budget on Time; Fiscal Challenges Remain Originally published June 8, 2018…
2019 Civic Federation Legislative Priorities The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2019 include public employee pension reforms, consolidation of local government units in Illinois, enacting policies to rationalize the property tax system, creation of a Local Government Protection Authority, requiring the State of Illinois to build a rainy day fund, development and implementation of a capital improvement plan and improved…
This article reports that there is growing bipartisan support for a capital plan in Springfield. The State of Illinois has not had a comprehensive capital plan since Illinois Jobs Now!, passed in 2009. Meanwhile, the State's backlog of infrastructure maintenence has continued to compound. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall said that any capital plan must have a committed and reliable revenue source, rather than relying on gimmicks such as sports betting or marijuana…
Following the enactment of the State of Illinois FY2019 budget on June 4, the Civic Federation blog has analyzed the potential impact on the General Funds and on local governments. This blog post will discuss the provisions for capital spending and the State’s long-term debt. FY2019 Capital Budget For the most part, the appropriations bill passed by the General Assembly includes all capital spending requested by Governor Bruce Rauner in his proposed FY2019 capital budget. The proposal included…
After three years of political gridlock and missed deadlines, the Illinois General Assembly passed a budget for the coming fiscal year on the last day of its regular spring session. Governor Bruce Rauner promptly signed the budget amid bipartisan celebration. Although the $38.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2019 is roughly balanced on paper, concerns persist about whether the revenue and spending estimates are realistic. The budget assumes savings of $382 million from a new pension buyout…
