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Pension crisis forces firehouse closure, 9 firefighter layoffs in East St. Louis

By Brad Weisenstein
10/16/2019
East St. Louis is short $9.5 million between a budget deficit and back payments owed to its fire and police pensions. As a result, city leaders are closing a firehouse and laying off nine firefighters.

TAGS: East St. Louis, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

East St. Louis police pension fund calls for state intercept of $1.8M, following fire pension demands

By Brad Weisenstein
10/04/2019
East St. Louis already faces a $2.2 million state funding diversion for its firefighters pension fund. Now the police pension board is demanding $1.79 million the city owes that fund.

TAGS: East St. Louis, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Local pension bailout would make Illinoisans’ income tax bills rise as fast as their property taxes

By Austin Berg
09/20/2019
Bailouts reward bad behavior. Reform rewards residents. Lawmakers should bend toward the latter.

TAGS: East St. Louis, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

East St. Louis faces interception of state funds for $2.2M pension debt

By Brad Weisenstein
09/19/2019
The southwestern Illinois city faces high crime and poverty rates, as well as a $5.5 million budget deficit. Now, $2.2 million owed to its firefighters pension threatens to halt the flow of state funds.

TAGS: East St. Louis, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes

Hog-tied: Illinois state law not equipped to address local governments’ pension problems

By Joe Tabor
07/23/2018
Avenues for state oversight for cities with financial difficulties have limited utility in the face of massive pension debt and have almost never been invoked since Springfield passed them into law in 1990.

TAGS: bankruptcy, East St. Louis, Financially Distressed City Law, local government, Local Government Financial Planning and Supervision Act, municipal pensions, pensions

East St. Louis police and fire pension fund crises risk state intervention

By Brendan Bakala
04/29/2018
East St. Louis’ police and fire pension funds experienced large funding shortfalls in 2016, putting the city at risk of revenue garnishment from the state comptroller’s office.

TAGS: East St. Louis, IDOI: Illinois Department of Insurance, municipal government, municipal pensions, pensions

Former East St. Louis township officials diverted nearly $1M in youth program funds

By Vincent Caruso
03/30/2018
Two township administrators took state grant funds intended for a summer youth program to cover up for illegal credit card purchases.

TAGS: corruption, East St. Louis, St. Clair County, townships

East St. Louis Township hires politician to shovel inch of snow

By Joe Kaiser
02/02/2018
East St. Louis Township paid $550 to a politician, who had previously spent four years in federal prison for tax evasion, to clear an inch of snow from the township's parking lot - a task he didn't even complete.

TAGS: consolidation, corruption, East St. Louis, local government consolidation, townships

2016 Corruption Watch: Chicago, East St. Louis take top corruption spots

12/29/2016
This year was full of corruption and mismanagement from public officials, but four instances in particular stand out.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, East St. Louis, good government

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Pensions / Research Report

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective


Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total gen­eral funds pension costs, includ­ing pension bond...

View Report

Report Archive

Jobs + Growth / Your Story

Cathy Stuehmeier

Labor / Policy Point

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014
Illinois Policy In the News

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016

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