Private research and development (R&D) jobs have been declining in the Chicago region for the past decade according to data from the Illinois Innovation Index for February 2012.  This month's newsletter, which focuses on private R&D activity in the state, calls attention to the challenges and opportunities the region faces in industry-driven research.  GO TO 2040 stresses the importance of...

On February 1, Governor Quinn delivered his 2012 State of the State address, outlining his administration's efforts to spur economic growth and improve infrastructure. 

The governor applauded the growth of automotive manufacturing jobs at Ford and Chrysler plants in Chicago and Belvidere, respectively.  He stated that Illinois exports are on the rise, having jumped 30 percent in 2011. Building...

Sales, income, and property tax revenues are the primary source of general funding for state and local government.  Governments typically have more discretion over these revenues in comparison to federal grants, user fees, or other funds that must be used for a specific program or purpose.  Thus, fluctuations in these revenue sources can affect the ability of state and local governments...

On December 8, 2011, the U.S. Census Bureau published the 2006-2010 American Community Survey (ACS) five-year estimates, which provide a rolling sample of detailed population characteristics over the past several years.

The ACS data is available to the public.  A more detailed analysis and instructions for accessing the data can be found on CMAP’s Census page. 

In summary:

• The CMAP region shows an increase in overall...

CMAP closely monitors state legislative efforts related to the agency’s work and efforts to implement GO TO 2040.  The following describes highlights of recent legislative activity from November, including two budget reallocation bills and efforts to retain businesses through tax breaks.

Budget reallocation bills would provide much-needed funding for water data collection
In June 2011, the State of Illinois...

In June 2011, CMAP’s Policy Updates blog covered efforts by the State of Illinois, Cook County, and the City of Chicago to support efficient governance by improving access to information and coordinating across government bodies, helping to save money and improve service delivery.  In the months since, progress has been made by all three units of government to further those efforts.

On June 21, 2011, the State...

A key component of creating livable communities is providing a range of housing options for residents.  However, as noted in CMAP’s analysis of Census 2010 housing tenure data, the region added 133,464 owner-occupied housing units and only 31,557 renter-occupied housing units between 2000 and 2010. The City of Chicago lost rental units, and many outer-ring suburbs added housing units but experienced a...

This is the last post in a two-part series describing results from CMAP's survey of municipal staff to determine the status of local plans, programs, and operations.  The first post focused on the survey methodology and on its findings with regard to municipalities' efforts to link land use and transportation and to address issues of the environment and housing.  This second post looks at...

Policy challenges cannot be solved — and efficient government operations cannot be achieved — without comprehensive, current, and accurate data resources.  Most issues in today’s policy and planning environment are fundamentally data-driven and cross-jurisdictional, so understanding them requires a robust sharing of information.  Despite legitimate concerns about cost, staff capacity, liability,...