This report analyzes basic financial data on ten major local government employee pension funds in Cook County. It is intended to provide lawmakers, pension trustees, pension fund members and taxpayers with the information they need to make informed decisions regarding public employee retirement benefits. The report reviews fiscal year 2009 actuarial valuation reports and financial statements of…
The staff and President of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County filed a FY2011 proposed budget for review by the District’s governing board on October 6, 2010, almost three months before the start of the new fiscal year on January 1, 2011. Despite the staff’s timely preparation of a budget, the Board declined to review the proposal in October. Instead, a new budget was presented more than…
In its recently released analysis of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County’s FY2011 proposed budget, the Civic Federation reiterated its position that the District must create a separate board of commissioners.[1] The District is currently governed by double-duty Commissioners who also govern Cook County. This structure presents an inherent conflict of interest because of the competing…
The Civic Federation supports the FY2011 Forest Preserve District of Cook County budget of $198.0 million, which includes both operating and capital expenditures. The proposed FY2011 budget represents a decrease of $236.3 thousand, or 0.1%, from the FY2010 proposed budget. We commend the District for holding its property tax levy flat at a time when Cook County residents are facing serious…
On January 13, 2011, the Civic Federation sent this letter to Governor Quinn urging him to sign Senate Bill 3778. Click here to read a Civic Federation blog post on the bill. Dear Governor Quinn: The Civic Federation urges you to sign Senate Bill 3778, a bill that will end the Seniors Ride Free program. This program has strained the resources of public transit agencies while allowing…
On February 14 Governor Quinn signed into law Public Act 096-1527 which effectively ended the Seniors Ride Free program instituted by former Governor Rod Blagojevich and restricts free ride eligibility only to low-income seniors. The Civic Federation commends the Governor and General Assembly for taking this action. As detailed in the blog post below, the Seniors Ride Free program has proven to…
In 2010 the Civic Federation blog provided comprehensive information about government and fiscal issues across Illinois for the public, government officials and media. In a range of posts on topics from the effect Public Act 96-0889 would have on local government pension systems to explaining nuances of the Cook County property tax system, the Federation blog offered rapid-response commentary on…
Although it does not receive as much attention as the Skyway and the metered parking system leases, the downtown public parking system lease was also a very significant privatization transaction. It was undertaken by the City of Chicago, which owned one parking garage in the system and also involved the Chicago Park District which owned the other three garages in the system. The downtown…
Today the Civic Federation released its analysis of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s FY2011 tentative budget. The Civic Federation supports the nearly $1.0 billion budget proposal, which represents a $681.1 million, or 41.1% decrease over final FY2010 appropriations. The large reduction in appropriations reflects the variance that often occurs between budget years for MWRD, due in…
The Civic Federation supports the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s FY2011 Tentative Budget of nearly $1.0 billion. The tentative budget is a $681.1 million, or 41.1% decrease over final adjusted FY2010 appropriations. This decline is largely due to decreases in appropriations for the Construction Fund and Capital Improvements Bond Fund. The District plans to reduce Corporate Fund…
