Better Government Association
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Cook County, Chicago look to make meetings accessible online
The Cook County Board and the Chicago City Council are creating a system that will enable the public to contribute to legislative deliberations via the internet.
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Oversight group praises 'big dogs' protecting taxpayers in Illinois
Better Government Association (BGA) CEO Andy Shaw threw a bone to four government watchdogs recently whom he said have proven their dedication to moving Chicago away from politics as usual and toward good government.
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BGA reveals best ways Chicago City Council can resolve discussion time conflict
Amid the discussions regarding the Chicago City Council's approval of a rule on public comments during meetings, the Better Government Association (BGA) outlined ways the council can promote an open line of communication that works for both government officials and residents.
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Chicago ethics board cites two more in Emanuel email controversy
A medical supply executive and the husband of a Chicago alderwoman have been cited by the Chicago Board of Ethics for lobbying Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on his personal email account, according to the Better Government Association (BGA).
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Cook County ordinance would give residents more input, information
The Cook County Board of Commissioners is considering a measure to create an electronic "witness slip" system that would make the county – one of the largest in the country – a national frontrunner in public access and transparency.
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Former Obama adviser hit with $90,000 fine in Emanuel email lobbying case
The Chicago Board of Ethics has fined former Barack Obama adviser David Plouffe $90,000 for illegally lobbying Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on behalf of the transportation company Uber.
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Watchdogs say they've uncovered another lobbying violation in Emanuel case
The Better Government Association (BGA) says it has identified what it suspects is another case of lobbying violations linked to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's emails.
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Oversight group's leader laments lack of good reporting on bad government
A handful of reporters can't cover all of the dysfunction of the Illinois government, a government oversight group's leader told a media gathering recently.
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Group demands release of more Emanuel emails, information
A government oversight group has filed a motion to reopen its case against Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel over Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for personal emails that relate to public business.
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Bar association offers latest look at information reporting
The Chicago Bar Association will present insights into the current state of information requests and reporting of sensitive information at a seminar on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) on May 15.
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Chicago can't carry state on its big shoulders, data suggest
Call it trickle-up economics.
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Emanuel email ethics probe count reaches 14
The Chicago Board of Ethics has sent letters of suspected lobbying violations to 14 individuals and their companies in cases tied to the release of thousands of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's personal emails, according to the Better Government Association (BGA).
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Park district police described as $5 million redundancy
It costs Illinois municipalities $5 million to maintain park district police forces that cover areas already under the watchful eye of the regular police department, the Better Government Association reported recently.
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No bright spot for Emanuel in Chicago streetlight project's cost
Chicago’s long-delayed streetlight replacement project will cost approximately $160 million, Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently announced.
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Illinois schools given a failing grade in administrative costs
Illinois' 850 school districts spent more than $1 billion in 2014 on administrative costs alone, well above the amount spent by any other state, a Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) report said recently.
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BGA To host forum on Illinois school funding formula March 30
The Better Government Association (BGA), an Illinois government watchdog organization, will host a BGA Idea Forum on an education funding debate currently ongoing in Springfield on March 30 at Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall.
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Watchdogs: Chicago should shine light on trust failure
The City of Chicago is preparing to replace high-pressure sodium lights with energy-efficient LEDs in 270,000 streetlights, but the investigative non-profit known as the Better Government Association (BGA) says residents have been kept in the dark about where the money to do the work is coming from.
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Public offered an education in school funding
An investigative non-profit group hoping to teach the public the basics of Illinois school funding is offering a free forum at Chicago's Roosevelt University on March 30.
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Spotlight shines on Post editor Baron
Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post editor Marty Baron — so successful that he was portrayed in an Oscar-winning film — will talk with Andy Shaw at a journalism awards event in Chicago on May 3.
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BGA: Elected leaders averse to watchdog group oversight
The Chicago-based Better Government Association (BGA) watchdog group recently shared its viewpoint via an online article that Illinois government leaders practice a strong avoidance of organizations — such as itself — that are equipped to expose accountability.