Columbus
Better Government Association
Hidden Costs: Proposed FOP Contract Contains Millions in Raises, New Protections from Discipline
Salaries and bonuses for Chicago police officers represented by the Fraternal Order of Police in 2024 could exceed the budgeted position costs approved by City Council by $76.8 million or more, according to a BGA Policy analysis of costs arising from the proposed new contract, including $27.5 in one-time bonuses paid to every officer in 2024.
New Rules Inhibit Public Attendance at Council Meetings
After weeks of confusion, written rules for public attendance at Chicago City Council meetings have been published on the City Clerk’s website. The Better Government Association believes the new rules violate the spirit and likely the letter of the state’s Open Meetings Act and calls on city government to reverse these changes.
Mayor Johnson’s Proposed FOP Contract Obtained by BGA Policy
A collective bargaining agreement between the City of Chicago and the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the city’s rank-and-file police officers, is scheduled for a vote today in City Council’s workforce development committee. The text of the offer was not made public prior to the meeting. The...
BGA Notifies Johnson Administration of Possible Open Meetings Act Violations
In recent weeks, members of the public–including representatives of the Better Government Association–have been denied access to the second floor of the city council chambers and directed by security to observe council proceedings from the third-floor gallery instead. These denials mark a change of policy, negatively affect access to meetings of this public body, and are an inequitable and likely illegal departure from past practice.
Unwritten Rules Limit City Council Gallery Seating; Reserve Prime Spots for “Invitation Only”
Free and equitable access to City Council meetings is a basic bulwark of our civic democracy. Any changes to policy and procedures should be undertaken only with public input and due deliberation. The BGA calls on the Sergeant-at-Arms and City Council leadership to publish clear and public rules, if any...
Johnson Proposes Historically Large Pay Raises for Police
A proposed extension of Chicago’s collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 would cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars over a three-and-a-half-year period – and would include the largest set of city employee raises in Chicago’s recent history. The potential deal,...
Policy: BGA Condemns Improper Adjournments of City Council Meetings
Twice in the past week, Chicago voters have seen their democratically-elected government abruptly adjourned or recessed without approval from the body. A chaotic special session called by a group of five alderpersons on Thursday, Nov. 2 was abruptly declared adjourned by president pro tempore Samantha Nugent (39th Ward), chairing the meeting in Mayor Johnson’s absence. No motion to adjourn was made, and no vote was taken, but the lights and microphones in the chamber were shut off.
Director of Marketing and Audience Engagement
About the Better Government Association: The BGA, a 100-year-old news and public policy nonprofit, has long produced in-depth investigations focused on corruption, waste and inequity, and was recognized in 2022 with a Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. We launched the Illinois Answers Project website in late 2022, thanks to a commitment of up to $10 million over five years from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. The two organizations have formed the Illinois Solutions Partnership, which combines journalism with public outreach to inform communities, civic leaders and public officials about possible answers to problems that beset the city and state.
Department of Law- BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2023 Budget. 2023 Budgeted2024 ProposedNet ChangePercent Change. Appropriations$45,641,696$46,427,927$786,2311.7%. Positions & FTEs42742700.0%
Department of Human Resources- BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. The city’s Department of Human Resources manages the city’s hiring, firing and employee discipline administration, including the...
Department of Administrative Hearings- BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. The Department of Administrative Hearings is a quasi-judicial body authorized to administer hearings on ordinance violations that...
Board of Election Commissioners – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. The Board of Election Commissioners is established under state elections law and technically is part of the...
City Treasurer’s Office – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. The city treasurer is one of three elected city-wide officials, along with the mayor and the clerk....
Chicago Department of Transportation – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2023 Budget. 2023 Budgeted2024 ProposedNet ChangePercent Change. Appropriations$1,399,244,996$1,480,240,225$80,995,2295.8%. Positions & FTEs15391592533.44%
Department of Water Management – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
The Department of Water Management oversees the construction and maintenance of Chicago’s city-owned water and sewer infrastructure. DWM is the third-largest operating department by headcount. Similar to the Department of Aviation, the Department of Water Management is self-funding: appropriations are drawn from the city’s sewer and water funds, as...
Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2023 Budget. 2023 Budgeted2024 ProposedNet ChangePercent Change. Appropriations$7,877,273$9,844,715$1,967,44225.0%. Positions & FTEs414100.0%
Chicago Animal Care and Control – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2023 Budget. 2023 Budgeted2024 ProposedNet ChangePercent Change. Appropriations$7,173,854$7,025,418-$148,436-2.1%. Positions & FTEs828200.0%
Chicago Commission on Human Relations – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot
BGA Policy is providing snapshot analyses for each day of City of Chicago departmental hearings. Sign up to get each snapshot delivered to your inbox each day of budget hearings, starting October 11. The Chicago Commission on Human Relations is the investigatory and enforcement agency for Chicago’s Human Rights and...
Better Government Association
582+
Posts
2M+
Views
The Better Government Association is Illinois’ only non-partisan, full-service watchdog organization. We’re shining a light on government in Illinois and holding public officials accountable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.