The Civic Federation Supports the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s tentative budget of $1.21 billion for being reasonable and balanced while maintaining ample reserves and for its fiscal responsibility in properly funding pensions and prefunding retiree health benefits. The FY2016 budget includes the maximum property tax increase allowed under state law for the third year in a row, with…
Accommodates Increased Pension Contributions and Holds Property Tax Levy Relatively Flat In an analysis released today, the Civic Federation supports the Chicago Park District’s proposed FY2016 operating budget of $458.1 million. The budget proposal reduces the District’s reliance on one-time revenue sources and accommodates increased employer pension contributions for the second year in a row…
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) recently released its FY2016 proposed budget. While the Civic Federation traditionally analyzes features common to all local government budgets, our analyses of the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) budgets include a review of the Authority’s productivity measurement data. The Civic Federation uses expenditures, ridership and miles traveled data provided by the…
This article discusses the Chicago Transit Authority’s proposed FY2016 budget in advance of the November 16 budget hearing. It cites the Civic Federation’s FY2016 CTA Budget Analysis. The analysis supports the budget overall but warned against relying on funding from Illinois, particularly given that the CTA did not receive its full State subsidy in FY2015.
This article reviews a borrowing plan for the State of Illinois that would pay for State bills by issuing bonds with funds withdrawn from Illinois Finance Authority Board investments. The Civic Federation said the plan is indicative of the State’s inefficient operations, and any additional borrowing only exacerbates Illinois’ debt.
This article discusses the ongoing budget impasse in Illinois—the State is now in its fifth month without a budget. It uses information from the Civic Federation’s FY2016 State of Illinois Budget Roadmap to analyze the rise in the State’s backlog of unpaid bills following the decline in revenue the State experienced beginning January 1, 2015, due to the partial rollback of the Illinois income tax.
Reasonable Plan for Next Year, but Underfunded Pensions Remain a Concern In an analysis released today, the Civic Federation announced it supports the Forest Preserve District of Cook County’s proposed FY2016 budget of $190.3 million. The District proposes a reasonable, balanced budget without using fund balance reserves for operations while holding the District property tax levy relatively…
The Civic Federation supports the Forest Preserve District of Cook County’s proposed $190.3 million budget. The proposed plan is reasonable and balanced, does not use fund balance reserves for operations and holds the property tax levy relatively flat at a time when many other local governments have sought large revenue increases. However, the District’s underfunded pensions remain a concern and…
Holds Fares Flat, but Could be Complicated by State Budget Impasse In an analysis released today, the Civic Federation announced it supports the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) proposed FY2016 operating budget of $1.47 billion. The budget represents an effective effort to actively manage costs and improve service levels. The full 52-page analysis is available here. “The CTA is continuing to…
The Civic Federation supports the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) FY2016 operating budget of nearly $1.47 billion. The budget represents a continued effort to actively manage costs and improve service levels. The CTA is continuing to benefit from reforms made in its past four budget cycles. This budget restores some express bus service that was cut in 2010 due to budget constraints, enhances…
