This article discusses the cost to Cook County taxpayers of separate staffs for each of the 17 Cook County Commissioners. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall remarks that the situation lends itself to further examination and notes that Los Angeles County, similar in geographical size and population to Cook County, has only five elected commissioners.
The City of Evanston recently released a white paper on the initial results following the dissolution of its coterminous township. Based on the results of a fiscal analysis of the dissolution of Evanston Township, taxpayers have saved $779,668 in fiscal year 2015, the first full year following dissolution, far exceeding the initial estimated savings of $500,000.[1] The Civic Federation has long supported sensible legislation aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government…
On June 29, 2016 the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a resolution to present a public question via a binding countywide referendum asking if the Office of the Cook County Recorder of Deeds should be eliminated and all duties and responsibilities be transferred to the Office of the Cook County Clerk. Cook County Commissioner John A. Fritchey introduced the resolution to the Board of Commissioners at the October 28, 2015 Board meeting where it was then referred to the…
This article discusses a recent Chicago conference that featured expert panelists who discussed solutions to the City’s biggest challenges. As a panelist, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall gave his insight on the City of Chicago’s fiscal issues, urged Illinois officials to put an end to the States’ budget impasse and discussed the corrosive effects the impasse has had on Chicago.
This article discusses the City of Chicago’s billion-dollar plan to build the George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art that will require borrowing and tax increases. Laurence Msall, President of the Civic Federation, explains that until an agreement is made by the State on how to prioritize spending, it will be hard for any project of this magnitude to be addressed.
This article reports on payments made to Chicago's police and fire pension funds using $220 million in short-term borrowing. Laurence Msall, President of the Civic Federation, called the borrowing an unfortunate, expensive, yet forseeable development, due to the lack of contingency planning in the City’s FY2016 budget.
The Civic Federation has long supported legislation aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations in Illinois by consolidating or abolishing redundant and/or anachronistic local governments. For example, on November 17, 2003, the Federation called on the State to abolish the Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District. The District was ultimately dissolved by State statute 70 ICLS 920/5.4 in 2006. The Federation also released a report on June 30, 2008,…
This article discusses that the city of Harvey, a south suburb of Chicago, is in serious financial trouble with millions of dollars unaccounted for. President of the Civic Federation, Laurence Msall, notes that the lack of records and documentation to showing how the cities’ money was spent is troubling.
Popular Annual Financial Reports: The Potential for Increased Transparency, Accountability and Public Inclusion The Civic Federation has long encouraged government transparency and accountability, both of which are emphasized in our Mission Statement. To promote financial transparency many local governments provide a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for each fiscal year.[1] Not to be confused with a government’s budget, which is principally a roadmap for the upcoming fiscal year and…
This Curious City segment on the CTA asks “How many fares does it take for a bus to get to the break even point?” The Civic Federation said the concept of breaking even is not a reasonable expectation for the public agency; rather that the goal should always be reducing the cost of the system in order to attract more riders or expand services.
