2020 Civic Federation Legislative Priorities The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2020 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…
The newly appointed Chicago Public Schools Board of Education has made several changes to the meeting structure at the monthly board meetings and, for the first time, livestreamed the board meeting held on July 24, 2019. This was the second board meeting for the seven new board members appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The new board has expressed its commitment to making Board of Education meetings more open and transparent. Board President Miguel del Valle announced at his first board…
A Commission created to analyze an annual five-year forecast of Cook County revenues held its first meeting in early July. The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance establishing an Independent Revenue Forecasting Commission on October 17, 2018. The Commission is intended to help the Board of Commissioners make informed budgetary decisions by evaluating long-term revenue estimates. The Commission is chaired by the Cook County Chief Financial Officer and consists of three…
The Cook County Chief Judge’s Office recently released a report and accompanying data assessing the effectiveness of a 2017 reform of bond court practices. The report increases transparency and allows for additional public analysis of pretrial justice in Cook County. The analysis in turn raises concerns about racial disparities and additional questions about bond court outcomes. General Order 18.8A, which became effective in September 2017, required Cook County bond court judges to maintain a…
Click here to read the full report. Click here to read the press release for this report. AT A GLANCE This report explores the history and repercussions of the significant accumulation of cases at the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) and offers recommendations for improving operations at the Board. SUMMARY The Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) is one of two property tax appeal options available to property owners and taxing districts after a county’s Board of Review. While…
During Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s first City Council meeting on May 29, 2019, new City Council Rules and Procedures were adopted by the Council. Also introduced was an ordinance amending the 2019 Annual Appropriation Ordinance to appropriate nearly $393,000 for audio and visual equipment to allow for the livestreaming of committee meetings. For the past several years in blog posts and its annual analysis of the City’s budget, the Civic Federation has advocated for the City of Chicago to livestream…
Last week, the Civic Federation wrote about the Chicago City Council’s recent approval of a resolution to begin livestreaming committee meetings in September 2019. The Civic Federation continues to recommend that the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education follow suit on livestreaming their meetings. As the largest school district in Illinois, Chicago Public Schools should be a leader in the openness and transparency of its board meetings. With enrollment of approximately 361,000 students,…
On March 13, 2019 the Chicago City Council voted to approve Substitute Resolution 2018-1151. The Resolution amends Rules 49 and 55 of the City Council Rules of Order to require committee hearings to be broadcasted or aired via the Internet. The resolution is scheduled to go into effect on September 30, 2019, “contingent on the availability of funds, duly appropriated by ordinance, sufficient for the purposes stated herein.”[1] Meetings will be streamed on the City Clerk’s website. For the past…
Click here to read the full report. Click here to read the press release for this report. AT A GLANCE The Civic Federation released this report in advance of the April 2, 2019 Chicago municipal election for consideration by the public and candidates for Mayor, Treasurer, Aldermanic Office and the City Clerk. The report details the City of Chicago’s major financial challenges, as well as options and recommendations to stabilize the City’s financial position. SUMMARY In April 2019…
Illinois’ large number of local government units – the largest in the United States at approximately 7,000 according to the U.S. Census Bureau – is often cited as a reason for high property taxes in Illinois and has fueled calls for government consolidation and efficiencies. In February 2015 former Governor Bruce Rauner created the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force to study issues of local government and school district consolidation and unfunded mandates, and to…
