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CTBA experts are available to provide insight, analysis, and data to the press on a wide range of public policy issues. In addition, CTBA disseminates new research and timely updates on policy developments to the media.

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September 9, 2014Capitol Fax

**From today’s debate…

Rauner was asked whether he was asking voters to take his budget and educations plans on faith since his plans to freeze property taxes and reduce income taxes so far don’t appear to add up.

“We have the money for our schools, if we put it in the schools,” Rauner began, before he was asked to come off of talking points and make his promises add up.

“We close corporate welfare loopholes, we reform our tax code, we cut wasteful spending, we put in regulatory changes to grow the economy,” Rauner offered as ways to balance the budget.

** Um, no. Unless he wants to raise taxes even higher than they are now. From the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability…....

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August 5, 2014Progress Illinois

Over recent years, the Chicago Housing Authority has built up large cash reserves primarily by holding onto millions in federal funds intended for housing vouchers, shows a recent report by the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. Progress Illinois takes a look at the report's findings and gets reaction from affordable housing advocates.

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August 5, 2014Bloomberg

“The state is facing real fiscal issues,” said Amanda Kass, budget director and pension specialist at the Chicago-based Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. “But there are real opportunities here to address the state’s structural deficit.”

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August 4, 2014Chicago Sun-Times

For nearly 10 years, the CHA has taken in more federal money than it has spent, piling up a reserve of $432 million in 2012, according to the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, a local think tank. The CHA says it’s down to $355 million. 

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August 1, 2014Hoy

CHICAGO – A Elia Báez le parece injusto que la agencia que administra la vivienda pública en Chicago haya amasado millones de dólares y no use los fondos para proporcionar vivienda a residentes de bajos ingresos.

La agencia Chicago Housing

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July 30, 2014Chicago Tribune

For the first time in more than five years, the Chicago Housing Authority has opened its waiting list and is issuing housing choice vouchers to 3,000 new residents who need help paying their rent, officials with the agency said.

But while the expansion of the housing choice program is being hailed by some as good news, a local, independent think tank is releasing a report Wednesday alleging that over the same five years, the CHA has steadily socked away hundreds of millions of dollars instead of spending the money to house the poor.

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July 30, 2014Crain's Chicago Business

The Chicago Housing Authority has hoarded millions of dollars in a reserve fund and used federal taxpayer money for non-housing-related services, despite a waiting list of thousands of low-income residents, a new study says.

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July 30, 2014

The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA) released a new report, A Fiscal Review of the Chicago Housing Authority. CTBA’s analysis of the Chicago House Authority’s (CHA) own budget reports revealed that the CHA built up a large cash reserve while tens of thousands of households wait for affordable housing. 

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July 16, 2014Crain's Chicago Business

A proposal by the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, a Chicago nonprofit advocacy group, suggests that taking 43 years to make the plans fully funded, instead of the normal 30 years, would reduce annual pension payments to a feasible level. Requiring equal annual payments instead of back-loading contributions to later years would make it more fiscally responsible than the state's current plans.

“The only thing they can do that's rational is re-amortizing the debt they owe,” said Ralph Martire, CTBA's executive director. “It works and it's constitutional. The only people who will yell and scream are the actuaries.”

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July 3, 2014Fox 32 News

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state cannot reduce retirement benefits for public employees. While the ruling is good news for them, it appears to be bad news for state and local taxpayers.

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