The Civic Federation’s Local Pension Dashboard is intended for use as a resource and educational tool to increase the accessibility of local pension fund data. The dashboard reports metrics for the ten major local pension funds within the…
Click to read the full report.EXECUTIVE SUMMARYOn August 28th, 2025, Chicago Public Schools (CPS, or the “District”) passed a…
by Daniel VeseckyTax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts are a complex, often misunderstood part of Chicago’s tax structure. TIF Districts segment and dedicate a portion of property tax collections within a designated geographic area to…
The following is testimony delivered by Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson to the Illinois House Executive Committee at a July 31, 2025 hearing on Chicago Public Schools' finances. The original testimony has been edited slightly for…
CHICAGO — As Chicago Public Schools (CPS or the ‘District’) heads into a pivotal budget season under new leadership — and with a newly finalized, cost-increasing contract with the Chicago Teachers Union — the Civic Federation is…
This report is part of a three-part educational series on what's at stake for CPS in FY2026 and beyond. Click here to view the one-page summary…
This report is part of a three-part educational series on what's at stake for CPS in FY2026 and beyond. Click here to view the one-page summary…
This report is part of a three-part educational series on what's at stake for CPS in FY2026 and beyond. Click here to view the one-page summary…
By Lucas Freitag and Daniel VeseckyThe recent Civic Federation Financial Landscape Analysis of the Chicago Public School District highlights a long-term issue for the…
By Daniel Vesecky As contract negotiations between the Chicago Public School District (CPS or the “District”) and the Chicago Teacher’s Union (CTU) continue, how to pay for the increases in salaries and other contract demands remains…
