Recent Research

• 03.25.11

  Cook County Modernization 100-Day Accountability Report

  The Civic Federation’s Cook County Modernization 100-Day Accountability Report continues the work of our Cook County Modernization Project. This report includes detailed information on the status of all 36 recommendations from the Civic Federation’s Cook County Modernization Report (published in October 2010), as well as a dashboard rating system for recommendations that were to be implemented within the first 100 days under the leadership of Board President Preckwinkle.

• 02.16.11

  Cook County FY2011 Proposed Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

  The Civic Federation supports Cook County’s $3.0 billion FY2011 Executive Budget Recommendation as it reflects a significant effort to reduce expenditures. The new County administration also appears to be on a path toward significant reform of governmental operations, as recommended by the Civic Federation in the Cook County Modernization report, which can be read here.

• 10.26.10

  DuPage County Proposed FY2011 Budget: Analysis and Recommendations

  The Civic Federation supports the DuPage County FY2011 proposed operating budget of $459.4 million. The County is reducing operating expenditures for the second year in a row while pledging to maintain the existing level of service and keep the property tax levy at roughly the same level as last year.

  Going forward the County needs to plan for a continued decline in economically sensitive revenues and projected increases in personnel expenses. In order to properly plan for the uncertain future, the Civic Federation strongly encourages DuPage County to fully adopt the planning policies the Civic Federation has enumerated in its budget analyses over the past five years.