This editorial discusses recent efforts to reform Illinois’ Medicaid system. It cites a finding in the Civic Federation’s “Fiscal Rehabilitation Plan for the State of Illinois” that enrollment in the system doubled between 1998 and 2008 while the State’s population only increased by 5.1 percent.
This article describes how Illinois' budget crisis is affecting schools, universities and social services across the state. The Civic Federation is quoted saying that the State's budget situation has been getting worse, financed by more borrowing and more unpaid bills.
On July 1, 2010—the first day of the State of Illinois’ FY2011 fiscal year—Governor Pat Quinn said that his budget for the new year will contain major spending cuts. However, most of the reductions have yet to be determined and the FY2011 budget continues to be unbalanced, with an expected operating deficit of $5.9 billion. The Governor announced at a press conference that his FY2011 General…
This article about Governor Quinn’s plan to sign the FY2011 Illinois budget passed by the Illinois General Assembly mentions that State legislators have not followed recommendations made by the Civic Federation in its analyses of the State’s finances.
This National Public Radio segment is about how some states are struggling to cope with massive budget deficits. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall says Illinois’ fiscal troubles – 30 years in the making and rooted partially in the State’s underfunded public pension system – are causing the State to delay payments to service providers and schools and its bond ratings to fall.
This article is about how state pension systems around the country are coping with the effects of the financial crisis. The Civic Federation comments on the State of Illinois’ recent pension reforms, saying that the reforms are a good first step, but do not address the State’s unfunded pension liabilities.
This editorial discusses recent efforts to overhaul the State of Illinois’ public pension systems and reduce its unfunded liabilities. It mentions a Civic Federation proposal to eliminate the income tax exemption for pension income in Illinois as a possible part of a solution to the State’s budget crisis, which is caused in part by Illinois’ underfunded pension system.
This editorial about Illinois’ perilous fiscal condition features Civic Federation commentary about the State of Illinois’ fiscal crisis and mentions recommendations made by the Federation in its “Fiscal Rehabilitation Plan for the State of Illinois” report.
This editorial about the options Illinois has to balance its budget focuses on recommendations made by the Civic Federation in its “Fiscal Rehabilitation Plan for the State of Illinois.”
The State of Illinois has yet to determine how it will handle its required pension contributions for FY2011. However, a recent analysis by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) estimates that skipping the $3.5 billion payment entirely would cost the State $12.5 billion in additional contributions. COGFA’s actuaries forecasted how much the State would be required to…
