Recent Research

• 12.07.11

  Metropolitan Water Reclamation District FY2012 Tentative Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

  The Civic Federation offers conditional support for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s (MWRD) FY2012 Tentative Budget of $1.0 billion. The Federation is concerned that the budget proposes the maximum increase to the property tax levy and does not comply with the District’s own fund balance policy. The proposed reforms to pension funding that have the support of the Retirement Fund Board and the Board of Commissioners are a strong step toward improving the financial health of the pension fund, which is only 56.5% funded. However, the passage of these reforms in Springfield will require strong advocacy by the Commissioners.

• 11.11.11

  Civic Federation 2012 Legislative Priorities

  The Civic Federation's legislative priorities for 2012 include public pension reform, requiring the State of Illinois to develop and implement a capital improvement plan, dissolving the Illinois International Port District, creating a new governing board for the Cook County Forest Preserve District, requiring all counties to hold budget hearings and large counties to produce timely annual audits, enacting tax increment financing reporting reform, requiring school financial management accountability reforms and authorizing state and local government entities to establish trust funds for the advance funding of retiree health care.

• 11.03.11

  Cook County FY2012 Executive Budget Recommendation: Analysis and Recommendations

  The Civic Federation supports the Cook County FY2012 Executive Budget Recommendation totaling $2.9 billion. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s proposed $2.2 billion General Fund budget is a 4.6%, or $107.4 million, decrease from the FY2011 adopted budget. The budget closes a $315.2 million shortfall with $219 million in spending cuts, $53 million in revenue enhancements and over 1,000 layoffs. The County administration also appears to be on a path towards significant reform of governmental operations, as recommended by the Civic Federation in its Cook County Modernization report.