Zarou: The New Term Limit for Chicago’s Inspector General Hopefully Will Start a Trend
Advocating for term limits for an office you hold is not the norm. Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg deserves praise.
Growth of “Finance General” Category in Chicago’s Budgets Obscures Departmental Costs; Reflects Rising Pension and Borrowing Expenses
A yearly Chicago ritual is about to begin. Oct. 16 marks the start of two weeks of budget hearings, when department heads will appear before City Council to take questions about their administrative budgets, part of the city’s 2023 municipal budget cycle – the first under Mayor Brandon Johnson. As they are each year, these…
Understanding Inspectors General in Illinois
Highlighting Their Roles and How to Submit Claims of Wrongdoing to Each Office
100 Days In, BGA Policy Reviews Mayor Johnson’s Government Ethics Campaign Promises
100 days ago this Wednesday, Brandon Johnson was sworn in as mayor of Chicago. During the campaign, Johnson, along with all other candidates except incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot, responded to a Better Government Association questionnaire focused on transparency, accountability and ethics in government. Below are Johnson’s responses from the campaign trail, with the BGA policy…
City of Chicago 2024 Budget Snapshots
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed municipal budget for the 2024 fiscal year is scheduled for release on Wed. Oct. 11. Get the details of each department’s proposed budget with BGA Budget Snapshot
BGA State Policy Agenda 2023
Our Policy Agenda: The Better Government Association policy team researches, drafts, supports and advocates for legislation that improves transparency, efficiency, equity and accountability in government in Illinois. We actively seek to work with other policy advocates, the public and government officials to advance these important goals, for the benefit of the people of Illinois. Outlined below…
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BGA OpenGov is the Illinois affiliate of the National Freedom of Information Coalition.
Without access to information about the workings of government, it would be impossible for citizens to determine whether taxpayer dollars were being spent responsibly and equitably, or to hold public servants accountable for their actions.
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Policy Statements
BGA Supports Proposed Improvements to Inspector General Appointment Process
More open and accountable rules will strengthen government oversight
Better Government Association Statement: Supreme Court FOIA Ruling Limits Transparency; Significantly Broadens Exemptions to FOIA
A unanimous Illinois Supreme Court ruling yesterday in a case called Chapman v. Chicago reverses a lower court’s ruling and blocks plaintiff Matt Chapman’s open records request for information from the City of Chicago’s Department of Finance. The court’s ruling undermines the public’s right to know about the workings of government and is a threat…
“ComEd Four” Trial Underscores Need for Strengthened Ethics Reforms
In response to today’s guilty verdict in the federal corruption of former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, lobbyist Mike McClain, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, and former lobbyist and City Club president Jay Doherty Better Government Association President David Greising said the following: “The jury’s guilty verdict on all counts strikes a blow against the culture…
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Better Government Association believes in transparency and accountability, which is why we have partnered with FastDemocracy to bring you some of the most powerful tools to keep tabs on your lawmakers in Springfield and their legislative actions.
Perspectives
Sophia Van Pelt: Illinois Juvenile Detention Centers Can Hide Mistreatment Behind FOIA Exclusion
It’s hardly news that the juvenile justice system in Illinois is failing the young people it is supposed to serve. In the Cook County detention center alone, advocates and…
Cubbage: City Council Has New Committees. Now It’s Time to Reform Committee Staffing.
The City Council has an opportunity to eliminate the practice of letting individual committee chairs control the hiring of their staff.
Cubbage: It’s Past Time for the City Council To Name Its Own Committee Leadership
There’s no reason for the City Council to maintain its unspoken power-sharing agreement with the mayor when it comes to committees.
Research & Analysis
Johnson Proposes Longest City Budget Timeline in Recent History
Chicago’s historically short budget deliberations are creeping longer and longer, but still wrap up much faster than most major U.S. cities.
Lightfoot’s Outgoing Executive Orders Defy Precedent; Court Conflicts with Council
Executive-office pens in the City of Chicago saw a flurry of activity during the transition from Lori Lightfoot’s mayoralty to Brandon Johnson’s. The outgoing mayor issued thirteen executive orders during her last week in office, while Johnson signed four following his May 15th inauguration ceremony. Neither Illinois’ statutes nor Chicago’s municipal code contain explicit language…
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