Government Budgets

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Reasonable City Colleges Budget Lessens Impact on Taxpayers, But Lacks Specific Plan to Bridge Future Budget Gaps

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…

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City Colleges of Chicago FY2011 Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

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…

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Empty Pockets: City has $2.7 Mil.

This article is about how the City of Chicago’s unreserved 2009 cash balance of $2.7 million is indicative of major budget troubles. The Civic Federation says that a city as large as Chicago should have a budget reserve of at least $200…

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MWRD Discusses New Office Space Options, But May Dock Plans Due to Grim Budget Projections

On June 17, 2010 the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District held a…

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Sales Tax Holiday Could Prove Complicated

Despite a $2 billion drop in the State’s annual revenues in FY2010 , the General Assembly passed Governor Pat…

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Cloudy Mid-Year Financials for MWRD May Mean Choppy Waters Ahead

Last week the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners held a public…

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Illinois paying for fiscal woes

Illinois’ increasing cost of borrowing is the focus of this article. The Civic Federation says businesses are reconsidering plans to invest in Illinois because of uncertainty over the State’s long-term tax policies and fiscal health.

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Cook County Commissioners Approve Strategic Plan for County Health System

On July 14, 2010, Cook County Commissioners approved by a vote of 9 to 3 a strategic plan to reorient the County’s health system more toward outpatient care and away from inpatient hospital services. The five-year plan calls for closing…

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Unbalanced State Budget Triggered Downgrades

Almost immediately after the Illinois General Assembly approved an unbalanced budget for FY2011, two of the three major rating agencies downgraded the state’s debt ratings. It…

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Our View: Quinn’s budget provides no real help or answers

This editorial is about the State of Illinois’ FY2011 enacted budget. It mentions the Civic Federation’s alternative budget recommendations as one of several possible solutions overlooked by legislators.