This article discusses how the Chicago Public School system plans to balance its FY2011 budget with a combination of class size increases and borrowing. The Civic Federation questioned why CPS would opt to increase class size without…
This editorial opposes the policy decisions that have led to the dire state of Illinois’ pension system. The Civic Federation says the threat that Illinois’ pensions will run out of money is very real and that Illinois’ police and…
The Civic Federation is quoted in this article that details the challenges facing Illinois government agencies in their efforts to reduce expenditures to help the State balance its budget.
Last week the Illinois General Assembly adjourned for the summer. The House and the Senate sent numerous bills to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to either sign or veto. One such bill is Senate Bill 580, which would restructure the existing…
This article is about Mayor Daley’s plans to hold the City of Chicago’s property tax levy flat for next year’s budget. The Civic Federation says the City should explore options other than increasing taxes to balance its budget in the…
In this news segment about the Illinois legislature’s passage of an unbalanced budget that would leave the State further behind on its paying its bills, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall calls on Governor Quinn to veto the budget…
Illinois and many other states drafted budget plans for FY2011 based on the assumption that Congress would extend the expiration date for enhanced federal Medicaid funding by six months—from December 31, 2010 to June 30, 2011. Now that…
This article examines Illinois’ pension-funding crisis and the legislative reforms that attempt to stabilize the State pension systems. The Civic Federation points out that the reforms do not do enough to address immediate funding problems…
In a discussion on the Fox Chicago Sunday news program about the Illinois legislature’s passage of an emergency budget, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall explains that the budget does not make sufficient cuts nor does it address…
Before adjourning for a second time this session on May 28, 2010, the Illinois General Assembly sent a series of budget bills for FY2011 to the Governor. Both houses passed $26.0 billion in appropriations, emergency budget powers for the…
