This entry on the Ward Room blog discusses Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s proposal to charge residents of unincorporated areas of the County a fee for County services. The entry mentions the Civic Federation’s 2010 finding that if unincorporated areas merged with nearby communities, the County could have saved $54.7 million a year.
The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2012 include public pension reform, requiring the State of Illinois to develop and implement a capital improvement plan, dissolving the Illinois International Port District, creating a new governing board for the Cook County Forest Preserve District, requiring all counties to hold budget hearings and large counties to produce timely annual audits, enacting tax increment financing reporting reform, requiring school financial management…
The Civic Federation supports the proposed FY2012 Chicago Transit Authority budget of $1.2 billion because it will set the agency on a more sustainable path. The spending plan will also avoid fare hikes or service cuts if labor unions and arbitrators agree to work rule changes that would save $160 million annually. The full 41-page analysis is available at civicfed.org. The budget ends the CTA’s reliance on capital funds to prop up spending, an important development for the future fiscal…
The State of Illinois’ new commission tasked with improving the State’s budget process recently published its first annual report with substantive recommendations for implementation of performance based budgeting for the State and guidance for the next steps in the process. The Budgeting for Results Commission was appointed by Governor Pat Quinn in August 2011 and has spent the last several months studying the state budget and taking testimony from budget experts, agency directors and members…
The Civic Federation supports the FY2012 proposed Chicago Transit Authority budget of approximately $1.2 billion because it ends the past practice of using capital funds to close operating gaps and maintains current fare and service levels. This budget proposes to substantially curb expenditure growth by addressing expensive labor practices thereby setting a direction for structurally balanced budgets in the future. However, the FY2012 budget depends on the cooperation of labor unions and…
In this letter to the editor, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall explains the Civic Federation’s support for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s proposal to charge residents of unincorporated areas of Cook County for municipal services they receive from the County.
This article discusses the controversy surrounding Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s plan to require residents of Cook County’s scattered unincorporated areas to pay for police services they currently receive from the County. The Civic Federation supports President Preckwinkle’s plan.
(CHICAGO) The Civic Federation supports the proposed FY2012 Cook County budget of $3.3 billion because it reduces spending from FY2011, implements efficiencies and avoids raising broad-based taxes. The full 77-page report is available at civicfed.org. Breaking with many past County practices, the operating budget is set to reduce spending by 3.7%, or $112.3 million, and is on target to be approved before the start of the County’s fiscal year on December 1, 2011. The cuts in the plan make up…
The Civic Federation supports the Cook County FY2012 Executive Budget Recommendation totaling $2.9 billion. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s proposed $2.2 billion General Fund budget is a 4.6%, or $107.4 million, decrease from the FY2011 adopted budget. The budget closes a $315.2 million shortfall with $219 million in spending cuts, $53 million in revenue enhancements and over 1,000 layoffs. The County administration also appears to be on a path towards significant reform of…
Civic Federation Urges Mayor, City Council to Get Moving on Pension Reform The Civic Federation announced its support for the proposed $6.3 billion FY2012 City of Chicago Budget today. The Federation’s full 106-page report not only reviews the spending plan for the next fiscal year, but also measures the City’s progress in implementing reforms to improve financial sustainability. “Chicago is not yet out of the woods, but this budget moves the City’s finances in a positive direction,” said…
