Results & Reforms

AUG. 1, 2011 — Grayslake Elementary District 46 agrees to better oversight of its taxpayer-funded debit cards after the BGA and Daily Herald question heavy spending on food, air travel and other items.

JULY 27, 2011 — A BGA/CBS2 investigation into a free lunch program for lower-income students at Chicago Public Schools uncovered instances of kids who didn’t qualify for the program. Following the probe, CPS moved to fire more than a dozen employees.

JULY 12, 2011 — A BGA/FOX Chicago News investigation into credit abuses at governmental agencies prompts the Regional Transportation Authority to cut back on the number of charge cards assigned to its administrators—one of whom used a taxpayer-funded card to pay for her daughter’s high school tuition.

JULY 1, 2011 — A BGA/CBS2 investigation finds that a city worker at Midway Airport had allowed his friends to bypass security because they were running late for a flight. The BGA and CBS2 also find that city officials, rather than fire the worker when this came to light, put him on paid leave, then gave him another job with more pay. Only after the story aired did supervisors

JUNE 27, 2011 — After a BGA/WGN-TV investigation into Country Club Hills Mayor Dwight Welch’s spending, the city council eliminates all but one city credit card.

In wake of BGA legal action that forced mayor to release personal emails, Chicago Board of Ethics levies fine against David Plouffe, who lobbied mayor on behalf of Uber.

JUNE 3, 2011 — In response to BGA/FOX Chicago News investigations into credit card usage at city agencies, Mayor Rahm Emanuel takes action to curb abuse by cancelling all city credit cards.

JUNE 1, 2011 — BGA/FOX Chicago News investigations reportedly hasten Chicago Park District Superintendent Tim Mitchell’s departure, which follows the forced exit of his chief of staff.

MAY 2011 — A series of investigations by the BGA and the Post-Tribune find that a high-ranking official with the Hobart (Ind.) Fire Department had quietly sold or traded municipal property—including a snowmobile, workout equipment and an old fire truck—to current and former members of the department, with little or no documentation. The official retires as police launch a

MAY 20, 2011 — After the BGA and FOX Chicago News report that the Chicago Park District is dragging its feet repairing the Garfield Park Gymnasium, which serves at-risk youth on the West Side, the agency ramps up renovations.