This article about Cook County’s FY2010 proposed budget and the efforts to rollback the County’s one cent sales tax increase from 2008 quotes the Civic Federation. The Federation says the high Cook County sales tax rate hinders business development and noted that the budget makes no moves toward reducing the tax, despite opposition to it from State lawmakers and County residents.
The Civic Federation supports the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) proposed FY2010 budget of $1.29 billion. Facing significant public funding short falls, CTA plans to close its $300.9 million deficit with fare increases ranging from 25 to 75 cents per ride, the elimination of 1,021 full-time equivalent positions, reductions in bus and rail service and the transfer of capital funds into general…
The Civic Federation supports the Chicago Transit Authority’s proposed $1.29 billion FY2010 budget as an evenhanded response to significant declines in available revenues. The CTA will employ administrative cuts, fare increases, and service reductions to balance its budget and reduce spending by 3.0% or $39.4 million below proposed FY2009 appropriations. While painful to both riders and CTA…
Last week Cook County released its FY2010 budget and will conclude its public hearing schedule nine business days after the budget’s release. At a minimum, the public should be afforded a review period of ten working days before public testimony is heard, not as a conclusion to the hearing schedule. The County’s accelerated public hearings schedule does not allow members of the public a…
(CHICAGO) The Civic Federation opposes the proposed $3.0 billion FY2010 Cook County operating budget because it relies on an unnecessary one percentage point sales tax increase and makes little attempt to implement cost savings or structural reforms during a time of severe economic uncertainty. The Federation’s full analysis of the budget and recommendations is available on our website, www.…
The Civic Federation opposes Cook County’s $3.0 billion FY2010 operating budget because it is predicated on the continuation of an unnecessary one percentage point sales tax increase and provides limited evidence of cost-saving efficiencies or structural reforms. In contrast, the Cook County Health and Hospital System is proposing efficiencies and eliminating vacant and non-front line positions.…
The Civic Federation released its analysis of the FY2010 DuPage County budget yesterday. In it the Federation announced its support for the County’s proposed financial plan due in large part to the County’s ability to maintain operation of its core programs while reducing its property tax levy in the midst of an economic recession. As many governments struggle to make ends meet this year,…
The State of Illinois’ fiscal crisis has had a major impact on the State’s employee health insurance plan, delaying payments on employee medical bills paid by the State for roughly seven months and causing the State to delay paying premiums to managed care companies for three and a half months. It is taking an average of 209 days for the State’s self-insured health plan to pay its bills,…
(CHICAGO) The Civic Federation will announce its support for DuPage County’s $521.2 million proposed FY2010 budget at a public hearing on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 8:00 am. In contrast to many other local governments in northeastern Illinois, DuPage will maintain funding for its core programs despite falling revenues and increasing expenses, while simultaneously reducing its property tax levy…
The Civic Federation supports the $521.2 million FY2010 DuPage County budget proposal because it maintains funding for core programs while providing property tax relief. The County has additionally improved its budget planning process and increased government transparency. Read the press release for the FY2010 DuPage County budget proposal here.
