Government Budgets

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District FY2012 Tentative Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

The Civic Federation offers conditional support for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s (MWRD) FY2012 Tentative Budget of $1.0 billion. The Federation is concerned that the budget proposes the maximum increase to the property tax…

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Veto Session Ends With Some Pension Reform and Increased Spending

As previously discussed here, many controversial issues confronted the Illinois General Assembly as it entered its fall veto session. Pension…

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Civic Federation Supports FY2012 Forest Preserve District Budget

(CHICAGO) The Civic Federation supports the $195.0 million proposed FY2012 Forest Preserve District of Cook County budget because it holds the property tax levy flat during a period of ongoing financial hardship for Cook County residents…

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Forest Preserve District of Cook County FY2012 Executive Budget Recommendation: Analysis and Recommendations

The Civic Federation supports the Forest Preserve District of Cook County FY2012 Executive Budget Recommendation totaling $195.0 million, which includes both operating and capital expenditures. We commend the District for holding its…

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State Pension Contributions in FY2013 to Exceed Forecasts by $535 Million

The State of Illinois’ statutorily required contributions to its five retirement systems will be $535.0 million higher than expected in FY2013, partly due to the impact of a pension reform law enacted in 2010. Required FY2013 state…

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Businesses Penalized For State Unemployment Insurance Debt

This article explains how employers in some states, including the State of Illinois, must pay higher taxes as a result of their state not paying back loans made by the Federal government to fund unemployment programs. The State of Illinois…

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Chicago Budget

In a panel discussion, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall discusses the City of Chicago City Council’s approval of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s first City budget.

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Mayor’s Next Big Test: Negotiations with Labor

This article discusses the challenges facing City of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in negotiations with the City’s unions. The Civic Federation says that Mayor Emanuel has made significant cuts and increased revenue and thus made a major dent…

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State Finds New Source to Fund Regional School Superintendents

The State of Illinois’ 44 regional school superintendents’ offices, which were slated for elimination in Governor Pat Quinn’s FY2012 budget recommendation, have been granted a reprieve—at least for one year. In presenting his proposed…

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And on the 7th day, they rested.

This editorial discusses the lack of action so far on the part of State of Illinois legislators during the veto session to address issues in the State’s pension system and its backlog of overdue bills. It cites the Civic Federation’s…