Government Budgets

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How Much Fund Balance is Too Much? Not Enough? Just Right?

All governments - whether states, cities or school districts - should place a portion of their general operating revenues in a general fund reserve or “rainy day” fund. These rainy day funds are savings accounts that governments can use to…

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Civic Federation 2010 Legislative Priorities

The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2010 include public pension reform, requiring state government to develop and implement performance measurement and a capital improvement plan, the dissolving of the Illinois International…

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State Plans HMO Experiment for Elderly and Disabled in Medicaid

Governor Pat Quinn’s administration plans to begin enrolling elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients in Northeastern Illinois—excluding the City of Chicago—in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in July of 2010. The pilot program,…

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Low patient numbers key as threat of hospital closures looms

This article explores inefficiencies in the Cook County Health and Hospitals System and the effect that the partial rollback of the sales tax in Cook County may have on the System. The Civic Federation is quoted saying that the tax…

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Chicago Council OKs $6.14B Budget

This article about the Chicago City Council’s approval of the FY2010 City of Chicago proposed budget quotes the Civic Federation. The Federation says that the budget as enacted does not fix fundamental imbalances and avoids making…

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His budget OK’d, Daley to ‘relax’

This article about the Chicago City Council’s 38-12 vote to approve a FY2010 City of Chicago budget that uses $370 million in asset lease proceeds from the parking meters to fill budget gaps mentions the Civic Federation’s warning that…

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MWRD Proposes Pension Reform Task Force

As noted on page 9 of its FY2010 Tentative Budget, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will begin to…

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District FY2010 Tentative Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

The Civic Federation supports the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s FY2010 Tentative Budget of nearly $1.7 billion as a prudent response to revenue shortfalls. The MWRD plans to prioritize spending, control personnel costs, and…

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MWRD Budget Reduces Spending, Starts to Address Pension Liabilities

CHICAGO – The Civic Federation supports the $1.7 billion FY2010 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) tentative budget as a prudent response to revenue shortfalls. The MWRD plans to prioritize spending, control…

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Update on State’s Short Term Borrowing Plans

Facing a multi-billion dollar mountain of unpaid bills and declining revenues, Governor Pat Quinn has proposed a new short-term borrowing plan for the State of Illinois that has encountered opposition from the Comptroller’s Office. As…