Government Budgets

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Government Watchdog: Problems with Chicago's 2011 budget

In this news segment, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall explains why the Civic Federation opposes the City of Chicago’s FY2011 budget. Mr. Msall explains that the City needs major pension fund reforms and must not rely on one-time…

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Cook County Election Offers Chance For Fiscal Makeover, Watchdog Says

This article discusses recommendations in the Civic Federation’s “Cook County Modernization Report.”

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Civic Federation warns of hazards in Daley budget

The Civic Federation’s analysis of the City of Chicago’s FY2011 proposed budget is the subject of this article. It focuses on the Federation’s opposition to Mayor Daley’s reliance on funds from asset leases to balance the City’s budget.

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Chicago Puts Bond Sale on Hold

This article discusses the City of Chicago’s announcement that it will delay the sale of $800 million in general obligation bonds. The Civic Federation says the City faces major fiscal challenges and that its FY2011 proposed budget does…

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Meter Company Sells $600 Million in Bonds

This article discusses Chicago Parking Meters LLC’s announcement that it will sell $600 million in bonds amid news that the City of Chicago’s finances are in a precarious condition. The article mentions that the Civic Federation opposed…

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State Pension Liabilities Rise Due to Lower Expected Investment Returns

  After experiencing several years of poor market conditions, three of the five Illinois State employee retirement funds have reduced their expected rate of return on investments. This rate, also known as the discount rate, is used to…

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Stop Pension Borrowing

As explained in its recent analysis of the State of Illinois FY2011 proposed budget, the Civic Federation opposes the practice of supplying money to the State…

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City of Chicago Budget Continues Structural Deficit Tradition

Today the Civic Federation released its analysis of the City of Chicago’s proposed FY2011 budget of nearly $6.…

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City of Chicago FY2011 Proposed Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

The Civic Federation opposes the proposed FY2011 City of Chicago budget of nearly $6.2 billion because it does not effectively address the structural deficit and relies too heavily on asset lease reserve funds and debt restructuring to…

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Civic Federation: FY2011 Chicago Budget Does Not Address City's Structural Deficit

The Civic Federation announced today that it opposes the $6.2 billion FY2011 City of Chicago budget because it does not do enough to address the City’s structural deficit. Instead it relies upon long-term asset lease funds and other non-…