This article explains how CTA President Richard Rodriguez has reduced the number of managers and personnel costs at the Authority. The Civic Federation is quoted commending Rodriguez’s moves to reduce spending, but expressed concern that the loss of too many top-level managers may hurt the Authority’s operations.
This segment on the “Chicago Tonight” news program examines Chicago’s ward-based waste collection system. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall was interviewed for the report. He says the City pays too much for the management and labor needed to run 50 individual garbage collection districts. Click the link above or visit the Civic Federation blog to watch the video.
Chicago Public Television Garbage Collection 12/17/2009 Online edition This segment on the “Chicago Tonight” news program examines Chicago’s ward-based waste collection system. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall was interviewed for the report. He says the City pays too much for the management and labor needed to run 50 individual garbage collection districts.
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 Port District, creating a new governing board for the Cook County Forest Preserve District, reinstating means-tested transit discounts for seniors, requiring…
The Civic Federation supports the FY2010 Forest Preserve District of Cook County budget of $198.2 million because the District will reduce its property tax levy by $1.1 million and use a portion of its budget reserve funds, rather than increase taxes, to balance its budget. However, the Civic Federation warns that the Forest Preserve District faces fiscal pressures due to rising personnel costs…
The Civic Federation opposes the FY2010 City of Chicago budget of $6.14 billion because it is unsustainable and relies too heavily on one-time reserve funds to close a $520.0 million budget deficit. The proposed drastic draw down of long-term reserves allows for increased spending in FY2010 but does not properly plan for the future. The City must consider FY2011 and FY2012 when crafting its…
While the Civic Federation traditionally analyzes features common to all local government budgets, our analyses of the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) budgets include additional productivity measurement data. The Civic Federation uses expenditure, personnel and ridership data provided by CTA to gain insight into changes in productivity. The Civic Federation uses three measures to assess CTA’s…
The Civic Federation opposes Cook County’s $3.0 billion FY2010 operating budget because it is predicated on the continuation of an unnecessary one percentage point sales tax increase and provides limited evidence of cost-saving efficiencies or structural reforms. In contrast, the Cook County Health and Hospital System is proposing efficiencies and eliminating vacant and non-front line positions.…
The Illinois Senate voted today to approve House Bill 4625, which means both houses of the Illinois General Assembly have now approved the same bill to reduce the veto override threshold for the Cook County Board of Commissioners to the three-fifths level common to most governments. The number of votes now needed to overturn a veto from the Cook County Board President is an unusually high four-…
The Civic Federation supports the $521.2 million FY2010 DuPage County budget proposal because it maintains funding for core programs while providing property tax relief. The County has additionally improved its budget planning process and increased government transparency. Read the press release for the FY2010 DuPage County budget proposal here.
