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Champaign News-Gazette: Pension issue on tap in Springfield
Powerful political interests will soon be going head to head in Springfield.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week kicked over what could be a political hornet’s nest when he proposed the consolidation of “suburban and downstate police and fire (pension) plan assets.”
He asserted that the consolidation of the funds into single investment entities will generate greater returns at reduced costs. The governor, a multibillionaire with considerable experience in investments, complained that under the status quo, local police and fire pension funds are — collectively — losing up to $1 million a day in investment returns.
Crain's Chicago Business: Lightfoot's about to enter the toughest two weeks of her career
As the chill of winter approaches, Chicago is about to discover whether its confidence was well placed.
Northwest Herald: Chicago teachers may test unions’ strategy
A threatened strike by Chicago teachers would test a strategy employed by a growing number of urban teachers unions convinced that transforming contentious contract talks into discussions about class sizes and student services wins public support and can be a difference maker at the bargaining table.
Unions in left-leaning cities, including Los Angeles, have made a renewed push to use the strategy this year, emboldened by strengthened public support for teachers and their unions amid 2018 walkouts and protests in conservative states. Chicago’s last major teachers strike in 2012 also has been cited as early inspiration by other unions.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago Teachers Union says latest proposal provides ‘a path’ to deal with city
A day after a contentious bargaining session left the city and its teachers union reeling for solutions, the two sides had a “positive” meeting Saturday that included a new proposal that union leaders say could put them closer to a deal.
Chicago Teachers Union officials said the offer would allow Chicago Public Schools to phase in changes to class sizes and staffing — which have been key issues in bargaining — over the life of the contract. The school district previously said barriers such as a shortage of qualified candidates could hurt its chances of quickly finding potentially thousands of new employees.
State Journal-Register: Sandoval resigns as committee chair, but the frenzy goes on
* So much for bringing some temporary peace to the Senate Democrats.
Sen. MARTIN SANDOVAL, D-Chicago, resigned as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee last week, something any number of public officials, including other Senate Democrats, had said should happen since the feds raided his home and offices.
Daily Herald: Schaumburg Park District paying $1 million to exit stadium deal
Schaumburg Park District board members have approved their part of a tentative agreement for the agency to pay $1 million to the village to take its half-ownership of Boomers Stadium and end a joint venture that began 20 years ago.
“We feel strongly that this is a significant amount, but we’ll be saving substantial money in the long run,” park district Executive Director Tony LaFrenere said Friday.