Chicago’s historically short budget deliberations are creeping longer and longer, but still wrap up much faster than most major U.S. cities.
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Posted inPerspectives
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 journalists in […]
Posted inPolicy Statements
BGA Supports Proposed Improvements to Inspector General Appointment Process
More open and accountable rules will strengthen government oversight
Posted inOpenGov
Cómo Presentar Una Solicitud FOIA En Illinois
El acceso a los documentos gubernamentales es fundamental en nuestro sistema de gobierno abierto. Tienen derecho a saber qué están haciendo sus gobiernos.
Posted inResearch & Analysis
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 […]
Virtual Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Training
FOIA is a critically important tool in every investigative reporter’s toolkit. Join us for a virtual training with Freedom of Information attorney Matt Topic for a refresher on filing FOIA […]
Posted inOpenGov
How to Submit Public Comment at Chicago’s City Council
Chicago’s City Council allows public comment at all of its meetings, including meetings of its committees. There are multiple ways to submit public comment, but each has a specific application process and limited window of time for those applications.
Posted inOpenGov
Watching Your Government: What to Expect at a Meeting of Chicago’s City Council
For first-time watchers, Chicago’s City Council can seem incomprehensible. Most of the business is done in a routine, rapid-fire succession of votes and gavel raps, punctuated by repetitions of the […]
Posted inPolicy Statements
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 to research, journalism and the public interest.
Posted inUpdates
Better Government Association Announces Three New Board Members
The Better Government Association has announced that three new members are joining its board of directors. With backgrounds in media, finance, and communications, the new board members bring years of […]