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August 11, 2010
Chicago Magazine - Online edition
This post on Dennis Rodkin’s real-estate blog discusses findings in the Civic Federation’s “Estimated Full Value of Real Property in Cook County: 1999-2008” report. The Civic Federation says the City of Chicago has experienced slightly better growth than the outlying suburbs over the 10 years studied, likely due to the City’s revitalization efforts since 1999.
August 11, 2010
Chicago Sun-Times - Online edition
This article is about Chicago Public Schools’ possible receipt of funding from the recent federal jobs bill, which could be used to restore class sizes and school programs. The Civic Federation says CPS should be cautious about making expenditures until it has actually received the promised federal funds.
August 12, 2010 - 1:12pm
At a Cook County Board of Commissioners meeting, held on June 15, 2010, Cook County Commissioner Joseph Moreno called on County staff members to explain a series of errors in the meeting’s agenda, noting a lengthy list of deletions, insertions and corrections to what should have been the final agenda.
We welcome any questions and feedback about the content of this blog. Please e-mail blog@civicfed.org with your query.
August 11, 2010 - 2:39pm
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn recently announced his plans for $500 million in mass transit infrastructure improvements across the State. $442.7 million of that will go to the Regional Transit Authority for repairs to the Chicago Transit Authority’s rail infrastructure, the rehabilitation of Metra train stations, and new vehicles and a system-wide radio system for Pace. Click here for a list of all RTA projects.
We welcome any questions and feedback about the content of this blog. Please e-mail blog@civicfed.org with your query.
July 31, 2010
Chicago Tribune - Page 4
This article explores the challenges Mayor Daley faces in filling the City of Chicago’s $655 million budget gap. One of the options being considered involves using proceeds from the City’s recent privatization deals. The Civic Federation says using those funds to fill a budget hole is unwise and that the City should restructure and reprioritize its services instead.
July 30, 2010
Fox News Chicago - Online edition
This news segment details how the City of Chicago had only $2.7 million in reserves at the end of FY2009. The Civic Federation says the City should have cash reserves of at least $200 million given the size of its operating budget.
July 31, 2010
Chicago Public Radio - Online edition
In this news segment, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall explains that restructuring the City of Chicago’s government is the only fix for the City’s unbalanced budget. Msall adds the City could institute a grid-based system for some City services instead of the current ward-based system in order to reduce costs.
August 6, 2010 - 2:18pm
Roughly a month ago, on July 1, 2010, Governor Pat Quinn announced that he planned to cut $1.1 billion from the $26.0 billion FY2011 State of Illinois budget previously approved by the General Assembly. At that time, the Governor did not say where $891 million of those spending cuts would be made.
During the week of August 2, 2010, Governor Quinn revealed the specific reductions to agency budgets. As a result of the Governor’s actions, it is now possible to provide a more detailed comparison between the State’s enacted budgets for FY2010 and FY2011.
We welcome any questions and feedback about the content of this blog. Please e-mail blog@civicfed.org with your query.
August 5, 2010
The Civic Federation will announce its support for the proposed $581.9 million FY2011 City Colleges of Chicago budget at a public hearing today. The Federation’s 41-page analysis found that the proposed budget plans a $3.0 million reduction in the City Colleges’ property tax levy while pursuing a reorganization plan that will centralize more administrative functions and increase programmatic specialization at its seven college campuses. Visit www.civicfed.org to download the report.
August 5, 2010
The Civic Federation supports the City Colleges FY2011 proposed budget totaling $581.9 million, which includes $454.4 million for the operating budget and $127.5 million for capital improvements. The City Colleges is proposing to reduce its property tax levy while pursuing a reorganization plan that will centralize more administrative functions and increase programmatic specialization at its seven college campuses. However, the Civic Federation is concerned with a predicted funding gap through FY2013 and inadequate amount of time allotted for public review of the budget document.
