The latest in a series about local governments, this blog post examines the number of park districts in Illinois, including an analysis of the number of park districts by county. The park districts examined in this blog are stand-alone special purpose governments that provide public parks and recreation services and exclude park departments operated by another unit of government such as a…
Following major policy changes and calls for increased public disclosure, detailed quarterly information about Cook County bond court orders and outcomes is now available online. Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ Office began posting the new data on the Cook County Circuit Court’s website in early May. A dashboard with seven performance measures is currently available for the first quarter of 2018 and…
Click here to read the full report. The Civic Federation supports the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s Tentative FY2018 budget of $1.13 billion because it continues to control operating expenses and maintains financial safeguards, including substantial reserves, to cover shortfalls or financial emergencies. As detailed in the report, the District’s FY2018 budget proposal continues to…
This article discusses the recent release of a Civic Federation report that calls on Cook County criminal justice officials to more fully disclose critical criminal justice data. According to the report, increased transparency will enable the public to have better informed discussions about criminal justice and the effective use of taxpayer dollars, ultimately empowering taxpayers to hold…
Financial Impact of Recent Decline in Jail Population Remains Elusive (CHICAGO) In a report released today, the Civic Federation called on Cook County’s Chief Judge and Sheriff to follow the practices of other large metropolitan jurisdictions in more fully disclosing information about Cook County’s bond court and jail population. According to the report, increased transparency will enable the…
Click here to read the full report. Across the political spectrum in the United States, there is a growing consensus that too many people are locked up in jail because they do not have the money required for release. This report examines recent efforts to reduce the number of detainees in Cook County Jail by reforming practices in and around bond court and includes recommendations for …
With by far the largest number of local governments in the nation, the Civic Federation has long advocated for a sensible approach to consolidation and collaboration to reduce the number of local governments in Illinois and improve their effectiveness and efficiency. Consolidation of local governments in Illinois is a Civic Federation legislative priority. The purpose of this blog is to…
Proposal aims to reverse damage done by two-year state budget impasse (CHICAGO) In an analysis released today, the Civic Federation announced its support of the City Colleges of Chicago’s proposed FY2018 operating budget. The $442.6-million budget is a prudent plan to begin to stabilize the District’s finances following an unprecedented two-year State of Illinois budget impasse that severely…
Click here to read the full report. The Civic Federation supports the City Colleges of Chicago’s proposed FY2018 operating budget. The $442.6 million budget is a prudent plan to begin to stabilize the District’s finances following an unprecedented two-year State of Illinois budget impasse that severely impacted institutions of higher learning. As mentioned in the full report, the District is…
The Civic Federation co-hosted a conference with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago on April 19, 2017 entitled, “Chicago’s Fiscal Future: Growth or Insolvency?” Experts, practitioners and academics from around the country gathered to discuss the best and worst case scenarios for Chicago’s economic future. Attendees to the sold out conference included government, civic and business leaders.…
