Chicago’s budget for the 2026 fiscal year, enacted just before its Dec. 31st deadline, made history when it passed without the mayor’s support or approval. Mayor Brandon Johnson lacked the […] ...

The foundational principle of Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act is that the public is entitled to “full and complete information regarding the affairs of government.” Many stakeholders — ...

Under Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act, there is a presumption that government records are open to the public. Body cam footage is an anomaly. Its availability is dictated by the Law Enforcement ...

The city clerk is one of three elected city-wide officials, along with the mayor and the treasurer. The clerk’s office maintains city records, including legislation and other city council documents, ...

From 2011-2025, CACC’s budget grew at an average rate of 5.7%, or 2.9% adjusted for inflation, compared to a citywide average rate of 8.3% (inflation-adjusted 4.4%). Over the past three complete ...

The Board of Election Commissioners is established under state elections law and technically is part of the judicial branch, but receives operational funding from the City of Chicago. BoEC oversees ...

The Board of Ethics administers Chicago’s Governmental Ethics and Campaign Financing Ordinances. It is one of the city’s smallest departments, with a small staff assisting an appointed board. Overall ...

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability recommends candidates for Chicago Police Department and Police Board leadership, drafts and has power to approve CPD policies, and reviews ...

The city’s second-largest department by budgeted headcount and fourth-largest by total appropriations, the Chicago Fire Department has seen less dramatic fluctuations in its budget than most others, ...

As a self-funded department, the Department of Aviation’s budget resources are less dependent on overall city revenues. Appropriations are typically closely tied to revenues from O’Hare and Midway ...

Driven by a massive influx of grant funding, DWM’s proposed 2026 budget nearly doubles the previous year’s appropriations, the largest single-year increase in the department’s recent history. Prior to ...

Mayor Brandon Johnson released his proposed 2026 budget for the City of Chicago on Thursday, Oct. 16. As in previous years, BGA Policy will release a series of department-specific budget snapshots ...