On July 14, 2010, Cook County Commissioners approved by a vote of 9 to 3 a strategic plan to reorient the County’s health system more toward outpatient care and away from inpatient hospital services. The five-year plan calls for closing…
Almost immediately after the Illinois General Assembly approved an unbalanced budget for FY2011, two of the three major rating agencies downgraded the state’s debt ratings. It…
This editorial is about the State of Illinois’ FY2011 enacted budget. It mentions the Civic Federation’s alternative budget recommendations as one of several possible solutions overlooked by legislators.
This editorial discusses recent efforts to reform Illinois’ Medicaid system. It cites a finding in the Civic Federation’s “Fiscal Rehabilitation Plan for…
This article describes how Illinois' budget crisis is affecting schools, universities and social services across the state. The Civic Federation is quoted saying that the State's budget situation has been getting worse, financed by more…
On July 1, 2010—the first day of the State of Illinois’ FY2011 fiscal year—Governor Pat Quinn said that his budget for the new year will contain major spending cuts. However, most of the reductions have yet to be determined and the FY2011…
This article about Governor Quinn’s plan to sign the FY2011 Illinois budget passed by the Illinois General Assembly mentions that State legislators have not followed recommendations made by the Civic Federation in its analyses of the State…
This National Public Radio segment is about how some states are struggling to cope with massive budget deficits. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall says Illinois’ fiscal troubles – 30 years in the making and rooted partially in the…
This article is about how state pension systems around the country are coping with the effects of the financial crisis. The Civic Federation comments on the State of Illinois’ recent pension reforms, saying that the reforms are a good…
