Cook County

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Cook County FY2004 Proposed Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

The Civic Federation opposed the County’s $2.99 billion FY2004 budget because it does not reduce operational expenditures or implement increased efficiencies and It is balanced by means of two new and unnecessary revenue enhancements: an…

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Assessor Houlihan's Neighborhood Preservation Homeowner's Exemption

The Civic Federation was unable to support this proposal because a lack of both available information and formal legislative language to which we could refer prevented us from fully analyzing the consequences of this property tax exemption.

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A Call for the Elimination of the Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District

This report analyzes the Suburban Cook County TB Sanitarium District and finds that this special taxing District is no longer necessary because of comparatively inefficient delivery of services and questionable financial management. The…

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SB 620: Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board Position

The Civic Federation believes that the Illinois property tax Appeals Board's jurisdiction to hear property tax appeals in Cook County should be maintained. However, the Federation recommends removing the level of assessment issue from…

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Status of Local Pension Funding 2001: An Evaluation of Nine Local Pension Funds within Cook County & the Five Collar County Funds in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund

This report provides a 6-year trend analysis of indicators that measure the financial health and performance of 9 major local government pension funds from 1996 to 2001.

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Cook County FY2003 Proposed Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

The Civic Federation commended President Stroger for proposing a $2.9 billion budget that is balanced with no broad based tax increases andcontinues a trend toward reducing reliance on property tax.

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Cook County FY2002 Proposed Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

The Civic Federation commended Cook County for proposing a FY2002 budget of $2.7 billion that held the line on spending and avoided tax or fee increases. However, we were disappointed that the County once again failed to improve its…

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Status of Local Pension Funding 2000: An Evaluation of Nine Local Pension Funds within Cook County & the Five Collar County Funds in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund

A 6-year trend analysis of indicators that measure the financial health and performance of 9 major local government pension funds from 1995 to 2000.

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Cook County Cost Control Task Force Report

A joint undertaking of the Civic Federation and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, this report provides a descriptive framework for identifying systemic problems and designing implementation strategies to reduce the cost of Cook County…

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Report of the Task Force on the Reform of the Cook County Property Tax Appeals Process III: Proposed Amendments to the Illinois Property Tax Code and Commentary

This report analyzes the issues surrounding decisions made by the Illinois property tax Appeal Board on the median level of assessment within Cook County. It includes recommendations for statutory changes to provide for an orderly property…