Program & Policy Reviews
Our program and policy reviews contain objective, non-partisan research on the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of City programs. This includes analyzing the performance of City programs and comparing the costs and benefits of City services. This research and analysis is intended to promote continuous improvement in the delivery of City services and serve as a resource for the City Council, civic and advocacy organizations, journalists, and the public. View our program and policy reviews below.
Latest publications from Program and Policy Review
IGO Releases Review of City Residency Waivers
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) released a report today on the City’s policy and process for issuing residency waivers for employees. For some years, the City has granted temporary waivers to the residency requirement for City employees. A recent IGO investigation prompted the IGO to review the waiver process, the City’s … [Read More...]
IGO Review of TIF Public Benefits Clauses and Charitable Donations
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) today released a review of TIF Public Benefits Clauses and Charitable Donations. Private charitable entities are sometimes named as beneficiaries in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) redevelopment agreements (RDAs) through the inclusion of “public benefits” clauses. Public benefits clauses are terms in TIF RDAs (as well as … [Read More...]
2011 Budget Options – Printable Version
Focused on meeting its mandate of promoting efficiency and effectiveness in City government, the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) today released its annual report of Budget Options for the City. The IGO’s Budget Options report for the 2012 budget provides a total of 44 separate, stand-alone options to cut spending. This year’s … [Read More...]
Review of World Business Chicago and the TIF approval process
Today, the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) released a review of World Business Chicago’s (WBC) involvement in the City’s approval of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposals. The IGO report found that WBC staff advocated for the approval of significant TIF subsidies for two major corporations–CME Group and United Air Lines–despite the fact … [Read More...]
Effects of the Furlough Program on the Use of Overtime
In 2009, 2010, and 2011, in the face of large budget deficits, one cost cutting strategy of the City of Chicago has been to require a portion of the City’s workforce to take unpaid time off (this strategy is commonly known as furloughs). Our review revealed that the furlough program has not resulted in a … [Read More...]
PBC Response to IGO Report on MWBE Participation on PBC Projects
On June 20, 2011 the IGO received a response from the Public Building Commission (PBC) regarding the IGO’s June 15, 2011 report on MWBE participation on PBC projects that were completed in 2009. In the response, the PBC takes issue with several of our findings. The PBC’s main points were: The IGO does not have … [Read More...]
Inspector General Releases Report on Fire Department Overtime Payments
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) yesterday transmitted a report to the City concerning overtime and holiday premium payments to certain “exempt” members of the Chicago Fire Department (CFD). The review had two primary findings. First, the CFD has been providing overtime, holiday premium payments, and other benefits to certain “exempt” CFD … [Read More...]
Review of MWBE Participation on PBC Projects Completed in 2009
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) released a report today on Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation on Public Building Commission (PBC) administered construction projects. The IGO reviewed 15 PBC projects either fully or substantially completed in 2009 to calculate actual MWBE utilization and compare it with MWBE participation statistics reported … [Read More...]
Follow Up Review of the MWBE Program
Today, the IGO released a follow up review of the City’s Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) program. This follow-up report details changes in the program over the past year, the challenges the program still faces, and recommendations for the new administration and City Council to consider in rebuilding the program to make it function … [Read More...]
Inspector General Releases Review on Efficiency of Motor Truck Driver Job Duties
The IGO issued a review on the efficiency of the City’s use of Motor Truck Drivers (MTDs) today. The report finds that approximately 200 MTD positions are unnecessary to regular City operations and the City is required to continue using them only because of an overly restrictive Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Eliminating these positions would … [Read More...]
Supporting Documents for Review of the Efficiency of the Job Duties of MTDs
On this page, you can find documents that were used during our Review of the Efficiency of the Job Duties of City Motor Truck Drivers (MTDs). There are two types of documents presented. City department responses to our questions about how departments use MTDs. These documents were useful for the purposes of the review, but … [Read More...]
Impact of The City of Chicago’s 2009-2011 Furloughs on Employee Pensions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) released a report today stating that the City publicly overstated savings realized from its furlough program by $11.05 million. Additionally, the IGO report found that the furlough program will result in increasing the funding shortfall of City employees’ pension funds by approximately $24.55 … [Read More...]
2011 Annual Appropriation Ordinance
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) released the Excel Version of the 2011 City Budget.
Administration Response to 2010 Budget Options
The administration’s response to the 2010 Budget Options can be viewed here.
IGO 2010 Budget Options for the City
With a renewed focus on the mandate in its founding ordinance to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the operations of City government, the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (IGO) released its first report of Budget Options for the City today.
IGO Review of the Efficiency of the HRAIL Program
The Office of Inspector General (IGO) reviewed the City’s Home Repairs for Accessible and Independent Living (HRAIL) program. The review focused on how much of the program budget was spent on direct home repairs versus how much was spent on overhead and administrative costs in 2007.
Recommendation to Implement GPS Technology in Chicago Taxicabs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Office of Inspector General (IGO) today issued a report recommending that the City consider implementing an integrated, fleet-wide Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system that tracks the movement of on-duty taxicabs. The program review and report was prompted by a recent hit-and-run incident allegedly involving a taxicab that resulted in the death … [Read More...]
IGO Issues Report Concerning CFD Overtime Payments
The Inspector General’s Office has issued a report and recommendation resulting from an ongoing investigation of overtime payments to exempt members of the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) who are not included in Fire Fighters Local 2 Agreement with the City of Chicago. The investigation revealed that CFD exempt employees earned considerable overtime payments in the … [Read More...]
Review of the MWBE Program
Following numerous investigations uncovering fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the City’s Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) program, the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) conducted a program review to analyze the effectiveness of program administration and how actual participation in the program compares to statistics reported to the City Council and the public.
IGO Report Closely Examines Parking Meter Lease, Recommends Major Reforms
A new report released by the Inspector General’s Office sheds light on the manner by which the lease of Chicago’s Metered Parking System was planned, negotiated, and implemented. The independent review shows inadequate financial considerations by City officials, the failure to explore viable alternatives to the 75-year lease as a means to fill the 2009 … [Read More...]
Waste and Falsification in the Bureau of Sanitation
Between May and September 2008, the IGO conducted an investigation of the City’s garbage truck crews in ten wards to determine whether the crews were actually working while they were on the clock. The IGO conducted such an extensive investigation because prior IGO investigations into similar allegations appeared to show that there was a widespread … [Read More...]