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Better Government Association

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Perspectives

Posted inPerspectives

Cubbage: City Council Has New Committees. Now It’s Time to Reform Committee Staffing.

by Geoffrey Cubbage April 6, 2023May 5, 2023

The City Council has an opportunity to eliminate the practice of letting individual committee chairs control the hiring of their staff.

Posted inPolicy

Cubbage: It’s Past Time for the City Council To Name Its Own Committee Leadership

by Geoffrey Cubbage October 14, 2022November 10, 2022

There’s no reason for the City Council to maintain its unspoken power-sharing agreement with the mayor when it comes to committees.

Posted inPolicy

Zarou: Aldermanic Ethics Reform Package Could Be a Second Chance for Lightfoot To Fulfill Her Vow

by Bryan Zarou May 13, 2022November 10, 2022

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s track record on reform is a mixed bag. A wide-ranging ethics reform proposal could help her follow through on her promises.

Posted inPolicy

Zarou: Zoom Meetings Make State Government Accessible. But It’s Critical To Preserve In-Person Meetings

by Bryan Zarou March 8, 2022November 10, 2022

From this point forward, online systems — on Zoom or similar platforms — should always be available for the benefit of those who can’t attend public meetings. But that’s as far as it should go.

Posted inPolicy

Zarou: Illinois General Assembly Has the Chance To Act on Meaningful Ethics Reform

by Bryan Zarou November 5, 2021November 10, 2022

The state’s history of corruption has the public craving good government, empower the inspector general’s office as a start to restoring confidence.

Posted inPerspectives, Policy

Dillon: Will Lawmakers Have the Nerve to Cash Back Pay?

by Marie C. Dillon July 17, 2019November 10, 2022

Every year from 2009 to 2016, lawmakers made a big bipartisan show of voting to freeze their salaries. Now some of them want to claw back those raises, for themselves and all lawmakers who gave them up.

Posted inPerspectives, Policy

Dillon: Real Life Lessons in Civics From Springfield

by Marie C. Dillon June 19, 2019November 10, 2022

The repeated stalling of the Fair Maps Amendment contradicts the textbook narrative about elected representatives who carry out the will of voters. Civics teachers are going to have some explaining to do.

Posted inPerspectives, Policy

Dillon: Clear City Ethics Rules and Bigger Penalties for Scofflaws? Yes, Please.

by Marie C. Dillon June 6, 2019November 10, 2022

Ethical violations by Chicago aldermen and city officials ought to carry meaningful consequences. Proposed reforms would do that.

Posted inPerspectives, Policy

Dillon: Lawmakers Should Seek Reasonable Registration Bump for Electric Vehicles

by Marie C. Dillon May 21, 2019November 10, 2022

Any conversation about funding road improvements ought to include discussion of how to make the electrics chip in, too.

Posted inPerspectives, Policy

Leven: Will Chicago’s City Council Finally Put Responsibility for Compensating Injured City Workers in the City’s Hands?

by Rachel L. Leven December 17, 2018November 10, 2022

Chicago is getting closer to running its injured workers program the right way.

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