Government Efficiency and Transparency

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Preserving the Forest Preserve

The Civic Federation sent a letter today to the Board of Forest Preserve Commissioners, which is also the Cook County Board of Commissioners, urging them to reject a request by the Village of Hinsdale for 30 acres of Forest Preserve…

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Financial risks loom as Chicago awaits Olympic fate

This article about the financials risks of bringing the Olympics to Chicago cites the Civic Federation’s review of the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid.

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City says it’s covered for games

This article about the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid’s use of insurance to protect against using taxpayer dollars mentions the Civic Federation’s review of the Bid, which noted that event insurance will not cover problems such as unsold tickets…

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Legislators take on Cook veto-override issue

This article about proposed legislation to reduce the number of votes needed to override a veto by the Cook County Board President, notes the Civic Federation’s support for the initiative.

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Chicago’s Olympic Bid Needs More Insurance, Review Finds

The recent review of the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid’s finances by the Civic Federation and L.E.K. Consulting is the focus of this article. The review found that despite optimistic revenue estimates, the Bid is largely financially sound and…

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Civic Federation Supports Legislation to Reduce Cook County Veto Override Threshold

The Civic Federation supports Illinois State Senator Dan Kotowski's legislation to reduce the number of votes necessary to override a veto by the Cook County Board President from four-fifths to three-fifths of commissioners in order to…

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Civic Federation Supports Legislation to Reduce Cook County Veto Override Threshold

At a press conference on September 8, 2009, Illinois State Senator Dan Kotowski and Illinois State Representative Julie Hamos announced a renewed effort to lower the…

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Olympic bid can be delivered on budget?

In this report, Civic Federation President Laurence Msall is interviewed about the Federation’s fiscal analysis of the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid. Mr. Msall says that the operating budget’s cost projections and revenue estimates are…

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Report Looks at Impact of Olympics on Taxpayers

Laurence Msall, President of the Civic Federation, is interviewed for this segment of the City Room news program about the Federation’s fiscal analysis of the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid. He points out that taxpayers face the greatest risk if…

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Chicago 2016 Blueprint “Fair and Reasonable,” Report Finds

This news segment discusses the Civic Federation’s fiscal review of the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid and points out that the Federation found that the proposed operating budget protects taxpayers but notes the Olympic Village plan contains…