(CHICAGO) The Civic Federation offered its qualified support for DuPage County Chairman Robert Schillerstrom’s FY2009 budget in a report released today. The Federation’s full analysis of the budget can be found at www.civicfed.org. “DuPage County has proposed a reasonable spending plan that freezes property taxes,” commented Civic Federation President Laurence Msall. “However, our support is qualified because the budget fails to provide sufficient transparency and to demonstrate that the…
This primer on the proposed FY2009 State of Illinois budget provides a brief overview of the highlights of the spending plan.
The Civic Federation supports the the Chicago Public Schools recommended 6.2 billion dollar FY2009 budget because it shows restraint by freezing property tax rather than reflexively raising them to the maximum amount allowed under the state property tax cap law. However, the Federation urges CPS to follow through on pledges to produce a comprehensive capital improvement plan (CIP).
The Civic Federation does not support the City Colleges' proposed FY2009 budget because it is unsustainable and relies almost exclusively on revenue enhancements, such as a maximum property tax increase, rather than focusing on ways to reduce costs. The Federation commends the District for beginning to implement important planning procedures, but urges it to use these tools to control spending and make targeted cuts in non-essential programming.
CIVIC FEDERATION WARNS FY2009 CITY COLLEGES BUDGET NOT SUSTAINABLE Tax-to-the Max Budget Wrong for Current Economic Climate The Civic Federation announced today that it has strong reservations about the long-term sustainability of the $388.6 million proposed FY2009 City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) operating budget. The budget over-relies on future tax increases to close a projected $7.9 million deficit related to increased spending of 5.4%. “In a time of economic hardship for Chicagoans,…
This report calls for the dissolution of the Illinois International Port District and the transfer of its operations to the City of Chicago. It finds that the District has shifted its primary focus from port operations to the management of a golf course. Even though the golf course brings in over half the District's annual revenue, the Civic Federation found no evidence that those revenues have been reinvested to improve port facilities or promote commerce.
The Civic Federation opposes the unaffordable program expansions and long-term borrowing proposed in the FY2009 State budget recommendation, but supports the proposed 3% cut from non-priority agencies and other efforts to streamline and modernize state government. The Federation again strongly urges the General Assembly to implement pension benefit reforms.
This issue brief provides an overview of some state and local fiscal issues that could be considered at a new Illinois Constitutional Convention. The proposals described do not necessarily reflect positions of the Civic Federation, but are intended for discussion purposes as stakeholders consider the implications of holding a new Constitutional Convention.
This brief provides a compilation of selected consumer taxes, including rates and descriptions, in place in the City of Chicago as of October 4, 2007. It includes such taxes as the sales tax, gas tax, amusement tax, lease tax, liquor tax, restaurant tax, soft drink tax, wheel tax, and parking tax.
The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2008 include public pension reform, tax increment financing disclosure, creation of a separate board of commissioners for the Cook County Forest Preserve District, school financial management accountability reforms, property tax assessment appeal reforms, timely county audits, and retiree health care trust fund authorization.
