This report compares total property tax bills in selected communities in metropolitan Chicago, and finds that the effective rate for most communities studied fell between 1999 and 2003.
The Civic Federation opposes District 508's FY2006 budget because it increased by 11.2%, raised property tax to the maximum amount, and increased tuition, without evidence of serious efforts to cut costs.
The Civic Federation supports HB 1663 as an important first step toward resolving the CTA's financial crisis, but continues to call for a CTA fare increase and supplemental state funding to bridge the agency's immediate deficit and avert service cuts. It urges the General Assembly to take action on long-term review of the RTA funding formula.
This report provides a trend analysis of indicators that measure the financial health and performance of 9 major local government pension funds from 1998 to 2003. It finds a combined $9.7 billion in unfunded liabilities for the nine funds.
The Civic Federation opposed the Forest Preserve District’s FY2005 Budget because the District has failed to meet minimum standards for disclosure and accountability in its budget process and has implemented a 13.6% property tax increase which is not justified.
The Civic Federation supported the MWRD's FY2005 Budget because it levied well below the maximum allowable property tax increase, and because it continues to reduce personnel. The Federation recommended continued restraint in levy increases, including for Stormwater Management, and improvements in budget presentation.
The Civic Federation supported the Chicago Park District's FY2005 Budget because the District levied well below the maximum allowable property tax increase, and because it continued to reduce full-time personnel. The Federation is concerned that the CPD may commingle Special Recreation funds with General Funds, and recommends dramatic improvements to the budget documents.
The Civic Federation supported increased public funding for the CTA, Metra, and Pace, but opposed the massive service cuts proposed in the CTA's "Gridlock" Budget scenario. The Federation called for fare increases and other measures in lieu of service cuts, and recommended that a chair be appointed to the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board as soon as possible.
The Civic Federation opposed the City Colleges proposed FY2005 budget because it significantly increased both spending and revenues with little effort to control costs. The budget increased spending by 9% over FY2004, raised tuition by $10 per credit hour, and raised property tax to the maximum amount allowable.
The Civic Federation was concerned about the lack of transparency of this proposal. It questioned the rationale for approving $100 million in proposed projects without producing a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and before presenting the District's operating budget.
