The foundational principle of Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act is that the public is entitled to “full and complete ...

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 […] ...

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 ...

*Historical rates of change are from 2021 onwards, when the existing division of responsibilities between OEMC, the new OPSA, and the existing police and fire departments was fully implemented. OEMC ...

*Historical comparisons are usually made from 2011-2025, however, in the case of CDPH, the pre-pandemic averages from 2011-2020 are presented for comparison. (The 2020 budget was set in late 2019, ...

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 ...

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 ...

DoB’s total appropriations have risen at an average annual rate of 1.1% from 2011-2025, an inflation-adjusted decline of -1%, compared to a citywide average rate of 8.3% (inflation-adjusted 4.4%).

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 ...