The new joint report finds the County’s early implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act has been mostly smooth due to advance preparation and prior reforms. Initial data show that since the Act took effect, there has been a decrease in both Cook County Jail’s population and electronic monitoring, and an increase in the use of pretrial supervision.CHICAGO — The Civic Federation and the League of…
The Civic Federation and the League of Women Voters of Cook County today released a report analyzing Cook County’s implementation of Illinois’ new pretrial law, known informally as the Pretrial Fairness Act, during the first six months since the law took effect on September 18, 2023. The two organizations have observed a mostly smooth implementation so far due to the County having been…
As the first state in the country to completely outlaw the use of cash bail, all eyes are on Illinois to see how implementation of the new law is working. Cook County is Illinois’ largest county, and it appears the county was well-prepared to implement the PFA.
In a joint letter sent Tuesday, the Civic Federation, the Better Government Association and the League of Women Voters of Chicago urged Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago’s City Council to improve transparency and public access to information regarding legislation being considered by the council. The coalition also provided several recommendations for process improvements.The group has…
The Better Government Association, the Civic Federation and the League of Women Voters of Chicago have called on Chicago’s City Council to improve transparency around Council and committee agenda items and increase public access to and ability to participate in meetings.CHICAGO — A coalition of three local civic organizations—the Better Government Association, the Civic Federation and the League…
The Civic Federation issued a report in 2008 that reviewed the operations and finances of the Illinois International Port District (IIPD). In that report, A Call for the Dissolution and Restructuring of the Illinois International Port District, the Federation expressed concerns about:The District’s focus on recreational activities in its operation of a golf course rather than improving port…
In recent years there has been renewed interest in developing and implementing a city charter for Chicago. A key theme in Ed Bachrach and Austin Berg’s 2019 book, The New Chicago Way: Lessons from Other Big Cities, is the idea that a city charter could help reform and strengthen the City’s governmental institutions. The 2023 joint series from Crain’s Chicago Business and the University…
The Civic Federation is saddened to learn of the passing of Jim Crown, son of Civic Federation Trustee Lester Crown and a leading member of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a longtime partner organization of the Civic Federation. We send our condolences to Lester and the entire Crown family, as well as to our friends at the Civic Committee.Mr. Crown passed away on Sunday,…
Last week, the Civic Federation released its report, Financial Challenges Facing the Chicago Mayor and the City Council, which provided an overview of the City’s top financial challenges, options for additional revenue sources, financial management options to promote efficiencies and several recommendations. Among these recommendations was a call to expand the budget and authority of the City…
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