On February 7 the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will implement layoffs and service reductions intended to reduce its FY2010 operating costs by $95.6 million. The Authority, which faced a $300.9 million deficit when crafting its FY2010 operating budget, will lay off 1,100 employees and offer less frequent service on 119 bus routes and seven train lines. The Authority’s other deficit reduction…
On February 2, 2010 Illinois will hold its primary election. The position of Cook County Board President and all Cook County Commissioner seats are on the ballot. Many issues pertaining to Cook County government have been debated during this election cycle, including the repeal of the entire sales tax increase approved by the Board of Commissioners in 2008 and the future of the County’s health…
As the Civic Federation composes its forthcoming Status of Local Pensions Report, we have pensions on our minds. Here’s a quick round up of what’s happening with local pension funds in Chicago and across the State of Illinois, including status updates on commissions, results of pension obligation bonding and cost estimates of legislated benefit increases. City of Chicago In January of 2008 the…
The redesign of the Civic Federation website in July has provided the public, government officials, and the media better access to the Federation’s analyses of government services in Illinois. The regularly-updated Civic Federation blog especially has provided a constant source of information on the issues that the Federation covers, including local budgets and pensions, taxes, privatization and…
The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2010 include public pension reform, requiring state government to develop and implement performance measurement and a capital improvement plan, the dissolving of the Illinois International Port District, creating a new governing board for the Cook County Forest Preserve District, reinstating means-tested transit discounts for seniors, requiring…
As noted on page 9 of its FY2010 Tentative Budget, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will begin to address concerns over its increasing pension liabilities. The District is proposing to create a task force to study pensions and possibly commission a report that would present analysis of the current and future costs of the District’s pension benefits. The report would…
The Civic Federation supports the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s FY2010 Tentative Budget of nearly $1.7 billion as a prudent response to revenue shortfalls. The MWRD plans to prioritize spending, control personnel costs, and implement a modest increase to its property tax levy to balance its budget. The Federation cautions the District, however, that substantial changes may be…
In September Fitch Ratings announced an upgrade of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County’s outstanding unlimited tax general obligation bonds totaling $115 million to ‘AA-’ from ‘A+.’ However, Fitch noted that the District is vulnerable to decisions made by its Board of Commissioners, who also serve as the governing board of Cook County. Fitch expressed support for Senate Bill 176, which…
The Chicago Park District recently proposed its FY2010 operating budget, totaling $391.9 million. The District is decreasing its operating expenditures by 0.3% from the FY2009 budget, which is one of the reasons the Federation offered its qualified support of the District’s FY2010 budget. Limiting expenditure growth is a common practice at the Chicago Park District. Over the last ten years…
The Civic Federation offers qualified support for the FY2010 Chicago Park District’s proposed operating budget of $391.9 million. The District is proposing a responsible budget that reduces expenditures and holds the property tax levy flat by using operating efficiencies, personnel cuts and a modest increase in certain fees to balance the budget. This support is qualified because the District’s…
