Over 100% of Danville municipal property taxes consumed by pensions

By Adam Schuster, Perry Zhao

09/20/2021

The average Danville household owns nearly $40,000 in state and local pension debt.

TAGS: Danville, pensions, property taxes

2 things Waukegan can do to nurture students’ futures

By Ann Miller

09/16/2021

With rising costs and sinking test scores, school district efficiency and pension reform provide ways to put more money into Waukegan classrooms and improve student achievement.

TAGS: Classrooms First Act, education spending, pensions, Waukegan

Rockford sees public pensions eat nearly 40% of municipal property taxes

By Adam Schuster

09/16/2021

Public pensions are growing and taking a greater share of property taxes, hurting public services. Still, the average Rockford household owes over $35,000 in state and local pension debt.

TAGS: pensions, property taxes, Rockford

Nearly two-thirds of Peoria property taxes consumed by pensions

By Adam Schuster

09/15/2021

The average Peoria household owns nearly $38,000 in state and local pension debt.

TAGS: pensions, Peoria, property taxes

Chicago Park District ‘reform’ bill puts pension costs on taxpayers

By Aneesh Bafna

09/10/2021

House Bill 417 falls far short of the structural reforms Illinois pension systems require. A constitutional amendment is needed after courts blocked a real reform effort in 2018.

TAGS: Chicago Park District, pensions

The problem with property taxes in the Chicago suburbs

By Hilary Gowins

09/08/2021

Property taxes keep going up, but services aren’t improving. Paying more and getting less is a trend that residents want to see reversed.

TAGS: Lake County, pensions, property taxes

Suburban residents risk losing homes over rising pension costs

By Amy Korte

09/01/2021

Because the cost of generous government retirement packages has grown faster than existing government revenues can sustain, property taxes continue to climb.

TAGS: collar counties, Illinois, pensions, property taxes

Pritzker seeks credit upgrades despite growing pension debt, budget deficits

By Adam Schuster

08/17/2021

Pension debt is a record $144.2 billion while Illinois’ short-term debt is on track to reach $22 billion in three years, exceeding the record $16.7 billion hit during the budget impasse.

TAGS: credit rating, debt, JB Pritzker, pensions

S&P: Growing debt, refusing reforms, population loss doom Illinois public pensions

By Noah Shaar

08/11/2021

S&P Global Ratings said Illinois’ public pension systems are in trouble, and will get worse thanks to the Illinois Exodus and because state leaders refuse to fix the problems.

TAGS: debt, Illinois, outmigration, pensions, population

Fact check: Pritzker claims balanced budgets; state reports show he’s wrong

By Adam Schuster, Luke Schafer

07/30/2021

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he achieved a balanced budget each year he has been in office. Not true, according to official state comptroller financial reports. Illinois budgets have been in the red for 21 years in a row.

TAGS: budget, JB Pritzker, pensions