The plaintiffs in the SB 1 case are asking the court to do something extraordinary: to hold, in effect, that pension benefits should receive stronger protection than any other type of constitutional right.
Since 2009, taxpayer contributions to police and fire pensions in Springfield have increased by 44 percent.
Morton Grove's police pension fund has just 54 cents of every dollar it needs in the bank today to meet future pension payments.
Whether they realize it or not, taxpayers in Arlington Heights have a lot of experience with the impact of rising pension costs.
One in 10 workers in the private, for-profit sector are union members in Illinois – 1 in 12 in the nonprofit sector. But more than half of Illinois’ government workers belong to a union.
The Badger State is now even more alluring for Illinois workers and businesses.
An unhealthy business climate and the forced-union status quo in states like Illinois does not serve the well-being of rank-and-file union members.
Universities are supposed to be safe havens for controversial ideas, but at least 10 Illinois universities have one or more policies that clearly and substantially restrict freedom of speech.
In a state notorious for its troubles with public corruption, the loss of a leader like Dave Schmidt will leave a void that will be difficult to fill.