Sure, speak your truth, but make sure to listen like you might be wrong. @CivicFederation
Chicago, IL
Joined September 2021
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The good news in this bad news from @CrainsChicago drawing on a sober @CivicFederation assessment is it is just the start, not the end, of the budget season. Still time for @ChiCouncil to course correct for a mayoral proposal straying from responsible budgeting and fiscal practices. A city constitution (charter) would help in future cycles.
chicagobusiness.com/opinion/…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
Illinois has 1,400+ townships, and about half serve fewer than 1,000 residents. Today’s @chicagotribune editorial on trimming the smallest ones cites our research.
📰 chicagotribune.com/2026/10/2…
📊 civicfed.org/blog/civic-fede…
A troubling reveal about what drove an outstanding CPD Supt to retire and complicates the ability to attract first rate applicants to be his successor. A mayor’s role is to find the best leader for a police dept, fully support them and hold them accountable but NOT constrict and hide the ball with them.
Oh!
today's story on this mysterious gunshot detection technology, from @JakeSheridan_: chicagotribune.com/2026/10/2…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
How does Chicago's proposed FY2027 budget stack up against our 5 priorities?
❌ Avoiding short-term budget fixes
✅ Continuing supplemental pension payments*
❌ Meaningful cost-cutting efficiencies
❌ Commonsense revenue increases**
❌ Stronger City Council oversight
*New borrowing undermines pension progress.
**Corporate head tax reintroduced, despite widespread criticism last budget cycle
Our analysis:
🔗civicfed.org/blog/five-thing…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
With another contentious budget cycle underway, it's time to revisit how Chicago makes financial decisions and how City Council exercises oversight.
A city charter could provide a framework for stronger governance.
Read David Greising's latest Chicago Tribune column:
chicagotribune.com/2026/10/2…
A force amplifying addition in @chitribopinions from @davidgreising @BetterGov to the rising call for a municipal constitution for Chicago, the only major city without one, whose comparatively standardless fiscal management now makes imperative. chicagotribune.com/2026/10/2…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
The Mayor's proposed FY2027 budget is an unacceptable abdication of responsibility.
Borrowing for police misconduct settlements, spending one-time parking meter proceeds & skipping real savings only digs Chicago deeper into a hole.
Full statement: civicfed.org/blogs/statement…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
DID YOU KNOW?
1. Chicago is the only major US city without a constitution.
2. The last time an effort was made to advance a city charter in Chicago was in 1914.
3. Chicago's current governance structure is based on an assortment of ordinances, codes, and laws, under the Home Rule Act of the Illinois State Constitution.
Tomorrow, President @JoeFergChicago testifies before the Illinois Executive Committee on the necessity of establishing a city charter here in Chicago.
— File a witness slip in support of HB5282 and find details for tomorrow's hearing here: ilga.gov/House/hearings/deta…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
Downtown to O'Hare in 15 minutes. That's the promise of @ohareflyer
I sat down with CEO Dave Lundy to talk about what it takes to pull off this $2B project in Chicago
We spoke why Boring Company never happened and how this project is funded without taking money from the CTA or Metra
📺 youtu.be/gZvIf-CxBAA
See Dave speak at Chicago Builds: Third Rail on Nov 12: luma.com/78iclzrl
0:00 Intro
0:30 How do you market a 15-minute train to O'Hare
2:39 Why past attempts like the Boring Company failed
3:56 Battery-electric trains every 15 minutes, no freight delays
5:42 Old Post Office to O'Hare Terminal 2
6:48 New European-style track on existing freight routes
8:06 Project labor agreement and 1,500 construction jobs
9:35 More HQs, conventions and easy layovers
11:05 Safety, full-height gates and ticket price
12:40 No CTA or Metra money: private funding and federal loans
15:14 Where the money is coming from
16:50 Why no Midway Flyer
18:46 Working with the mayor, CDA, CDOT and IDOT
19:42 Downtown station reveal and final rail agreements
21:10 The founding team
23:20 How big things get done
26:05 The 2031 headline
Joe Ferguson retweeted
Next week, President @JoeFergChicago will testify before the Illinois House Executive Committee alongside Representative Kam Buckner to express the need for a City Charter here in Chicago.
This subject matter hearing marks an important step forward in a an initiative the Civic Federation has been championing with A More Just Chicago to bring greater transparency, durability, and accountability to local governance.
Find details about the meeting and lend your support by filing a witness slip below!
Meeting Details: ilga.gov/House/hearings/deta…
File a witness slip: ilga.gov/House/hearings/deta…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
Instead of the $65-$71 million in savings Mayor Johnson's team expected the refi to produce, our math pegs the value at around $21 million in savings - leaving a significant hole we'll still have to close some other way. More here:
citythatworks.substack.com/p…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
Today at @acitythatworks: In August, the Johnson administration announced their plan to close this year's budget gap by refinancing city bonds. We were skeptical the match checked out. Last week, they completed that refi, but the budget gap remains far from closed.
Joe Ferguson retweeted
Nearly 100,000 Illinois children left SNAP from October 2025 to June 2026.
🔻 Ages 0–13: -13.4%
🔻Ages 14–17: -16.5%
SNAP enrollment also helps determine federal school meal reimbursements. Currently CPS qualifies for $200M+ in federal meal reimbursements, but the District’s declining enrollment could affect federal funding.
Joe Ferguson retweeted
Chicago faces a projected $882.4M budget gap in FY2027.
As budget season gets underway, here are 5 things the Civic Federation is watching for:
1️⃣ Avoiding short-term budget fixes
2️⃣ Continuing the supplemental pension contribution
3️⃣ Making meaningful progress on cost-cutting efficiencies
4️⃣ Pursuing commonsense revenue increases
5️⃣ Strengthening City Council oversight of the budget
Closing the gap is only part of the challenge. The FY2027 budget cycle should also move Chicago toward long-term financial stability.
🔗Read more:
civicfed.org/five_things_to_…
City money funds. Mayor chairs Board. No duty to cooperate with city council and no City Council subpoena power to mandate appearance. On a city ethics issue.
No accountability. A city constitution would fix that.
#citycharter
chicagotribune.com/2026/10/0…
Joe Ferguson retweeted
📉 CPS enrollment is down again.
CPS reports approximately 305,000 students enrolled for 2026-27—about 11,000 fewer than last year.
But its facilities and operations remain at levels designed for ~450,000 students, strengthening the case for right-sizing the District.
Joe Ferguson retweeted
🗳️ OUR VOTER GUIDE IS HERE!
Our 2026 Chicago Board of Education Voter Guide is designed to help voters understand what the Board does, the key issues it faces and questions to consider when evaluating candidates.
🌐Available now in English & Spanish on our website!
And while you’re there, check out our CPS FY2027 Budget Overview for a deeper dive into the financial landscape the next Board will inherit.
#yourvote #yourboard #CivicFed #boardofeducation #voterguide
civicfed.org/2026-chicago-bo…
