Taxes and Fees

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Emanuel to use Skyway windfall to bankroll property tax rebate

This article discusses a plan to provide $20 million in property tax rebates to City of Chicago homeowners. Laurence Msall, President of the Civic Federation, notes that the program is likely to have a very modest impact to Chicago…

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Civic Federation Supports City Colleges' FY2017 Budget

Proposal keeps property tax levy, tuition rates relatively flat despite inadequate funding from State of Illinois In an analysis released today, the Civic Federation announced its support of the City Colleges of Chicago’s proposed FY2017…

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Preckwinkle: Tax hike, budget cuts on table as county faces $174M shortfall

This article discusses the tough financial decisions Cook County will have to make in order to address its expected budget deficit. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall explains that Cook County has been grappling with financial…

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Break in Illinois’ Budget Impasse Allows for Partial Spending Plan

After a yearlong stalemate, the State of Illinois finally saw a crack in its ongoing budget impasse on the last day of the fiscal year. The General Assembly rushed approval of bills authorizing a full year of preschool through high school…

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Local Governments Must Repay $168 Million to the State

In April 2016, the Illinois Department of Revenue announced that it discovered a misallocation totaling an estimated $168 million in…

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Average Chicago property tax bill up nearly 13 percent

This article reports on the City of Chicago’s record property tax increase and how it will affect City homeowners this year. Laurence Msall, President of the Civic federation, notes that with Chicago’s historic underfunding of pensions,…

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Emanuel scrambles to craft property tax break before bills hit

This article reports on a City of Chicago plan to create a property tax rebate to lower the tax burden to City homeowners. Laurence Msall, President of the Civic Federation, says it’s difficult to see how Chicago can afford a property tax…

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Mayor Emanuel’s Pension Plan Survives Rauner’s Veto

This segment reports on the Illinois General Assembly overriding Governor Rauner’s veto of pension reforms for the City of Chicago’s police and fire pension funds and on the short and long-term effects of the legislation. Laurence Msall,…

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The Final 2015 Cook County Equalization Factor is 2.6685

The Illinois Department of Revenue announced earlier this spring that the final equalization factor for the Cook County 2015 property…

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Emanuel cuts new deal to save Laborers Pension Fund

This article reports on the City of Chicago’s recent agreement with the Laborers Pension Fund to save the fund from insolvency through a combination of union concessions and revenue from telephone tax increases. Laurence Msall, President…