Civic Federation

ICYMI: The event photos, program recording, and tribute video for the 33rd Motorola Solutions Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award, honoring City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado, can be found at: https://lnkd.in/gaiQiuVi Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson said in our December newsletter, "With over 250 people, including family, former students, colleagues past and present, and scores of civic leaders, in the room to celebrate Juan’s leadership, it was clear how deeply he has touched the lives of so many and transformed City Colleges into a powerful force for opportunity and growth. And, as I’m sure anyone in attendance can attest, Juan is as funny and engaging as he is humble – it was truly a joy and inspiration to hear him in conversation with long-time friend and colleague, Latino Policy Forum President and CEO Sylvia Puente, talk about his journey through nonprofit and public service."

Happy New Year from the Civic Federation! As we step into 2025, we’re committed to continuing our mission of strengthening local government and empowering Illinois residents and leaders with the facts and insights they need to advocate for change! Here’s to a year of transparency, accountability, and, hopefully, meaningful progress.  What are you looking forward to in 2025? 

Civic Federation’s vision: a future where all residents and leaders in Illinois and the Chicago region are empowered with the education, insights, and fact-based research to advocate for and promote sound government practices and policies. Your gift on this last day of 2024—big or small—helps: ✅ Drive transparency in government. ✅ Hold elected officials accountable. ✅ Educate the public on critical issues. Every contribution makes a difference in advancing our mission. Let’s work together to build stronger, more informed Chicago and Illinois. 🎁 Donate today and help us start 2025 stronger than ever! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gVRgu5Zg

2024 Highlight #2: Reforming Mass Transit Governance in the Chicago Region Report      In an April report, we analyzed the current state of mass transit in the Chicago region. We called on Governor Pritzker, the Illinois General Assembly, the RTA, and the service boards to restructure Chicagoland’s mass regional transit system to improve service delivery and efficiency. The media has cited the report as polling and data to support a consolidated mass transit system.       Read the report here: rb.gy/9a4bc9 

In 2024, we analyzed many governments and policy issues. From Cook County to the City of Chicago, from pensions to property taxes, we got you covered. Now we want to ask you: What topics would you want the Civic Federation to study in 2025? 

The Civic Federation wishes you a safe and happy holiday season.      

We’re proud of the work we’ve done in 2024 — providing fiscal analysis, policy recommendations, and keeping Illinois informed on key issues.    Let’s look back at some of our greatest highlights.     2024 Highlight #1: City of Chicago FY2025 Roadmap, which played a key role in the recent passage of the city budget.    In October, we released our roadmap for the City of Chicago FY2025 budget, which outlined immediate non-revenue and revenue options for FY2025 and long-term options for future City budgets. This report gained significant attention, and alders even recently referenced a follow-up short report on Chicago’s high debt burden in budget negotiations with Mayor Johnson.      Read the report: t.ly/KnSeH     Read the follow-up report: t.ly/ZJsmW 

As everyone begins to slow down at the end of the year, we ask you to take a moment to consider the Civic Federation in your end-of-year giving. The Civic Federation plays a vital role in shedding light on government budgets, policies, and spending—helping to hold elected officials accountable and educating the public on what happens behind the scenes of our governments. This critical work depends on the generous support of people like you. By supporting the Civic Federation, you’re investing in research that drives transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making for the benefit of our communities. Now, more than ever, organizations like ours need your support. Join us in building a better future by making the Civic Federation part of your end-of-year giving. 🔗 SUPPORT THE CIVIC FEDERATION HERE: https://lnkd.in/gVRgu5Zg 🎁 Thank you for helping us continue this essential work!

As 2024 winds to a close, we look back on our 33rd Annual Motorola Solutions Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award Breakfast honoring City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado and highlight our latest research reports and much more in our December newsletter.  Check it out: conta.cc/4gEEFqE 

This week, the City of Chicago finally passed its FY2025 budget.      Here are some quick thoughts.      🔷 GOOD: The budget didn’t increase property taxes, which should have always been a last resort.      🔷 BAD: The budget is structurally imbalanced, utilizing many one-time sources.     Increasing smaller taxes, fines, and fees produces the same outcome as increasing property taxes: taxpayers will carry the burden of the budget gap.       With little structural change in efficiencies and savings, we will likely have the same conversation in FY2026, when the City faces an even larger projected budget deficit.