Throughout the 2023 Chicago mayoral campaign, Mayor Johnson stated that it was his intention to avoid increasing property taxes, citing concerns about the burden already placed on many Chicagoans. But, while the impact of property tax increases on individual homeowners and business owners is an important factor to consider, the new mayoral administration must also weigh the property tax in…
Acting President Sarah Wetmore appears on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight"
This week, the Civic Federation released its annual analysis of the State of Illinois Budget for FY2024. Among the recommendations made to the Governor and lawmakers was a call for the Illinois General Assembly to increase transparency and accessibility by posting video archives of General Assembly floor and committee hearings. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL),…
This blog examines online reporting of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending and performance measures by major U.S. cities. A key component of ARPA was a $350 billion infusion of federal funding to state, local and Tribal governments nationwide to support their pandemic recovery through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). The U.S. Department of Treasury outlined…
The Civic Federation’s Annual Civic Awards Luncheon, now in its 40th year, recognizes civic leadership in Chicago. Named for the Federation’s founding members, the Lyman J. Gage Award and the Addams-Palmer Award recognize the outstanding civic contributions of Chicago individuals and institutions. The 2022 Civic Awards Luncheon honored William J. Brodsky, Chairman, Cedar Street Asset Management…
The Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County saw a change in leadership for the first time in 20 years in 2020. The change in administration presented an opportunity for meaningful reform of an office that had been notorious for corruption, delays and substandard constituent service. The Civic Federation, in partnership with the Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the…
Click here to read the full report.Click here to read the press release.Click here to read the 2020 recommendations.Click here to read the 100 days update.INTRODUCTIONThe change in administration within the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County in December 2020 represented an opportunity for meaningful reform of an office that has been notorious for corruption, delays and…
On Thursday, December 9, the Civic Federation will honor Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Grace B. Hou with the 30th Annual Motorola Solutions Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award. The award, presented and administered by the Federation, annually honors a non-elected government official who has had an extraordinary impact on the quality of state and local government…
On April 21, 2021, the City of Chicago adopted Substitute Ordinance 2020-5902, which requires the Department of Finance to publish monthly reports of Corporate Fund revenues. This amendment to the Municipal Code also requires the Department to coordinate with the City’s Office of Management and Budget to collect revenue data and produce a report comparing current revenues to budgeted revenues and…
UPDATE - February 23 2022: This blog has been updated with corrections to the information about other states where court data is subject to disclosure through FOIA laws or court rules, under the section “How Illinois FOIA Law Compares to Other States.” Because the judiciary in Illinois is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), data disclosure and responses to requests…
