Joliet considering citywide salary cuts to ease budget strains

By Ben Szalinski

06/25/2020

The city has suffered significant revenue losses as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Pensions will further damage city services even as the pandemic fades.

TAGS: budget, Joliet, pensions

Illinois treasurer says ‘fair tax’ makes retirement tax more likely

By Ben Szalinski, Adam Schuster

06/24/2020

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said a progressive state income tax will open the door to taxing retirement income.

TAGS: pensions, progressive income tax, retirement tax

62 former state lawmakers receiving more than $100K pensions

By Ben Szalinski

06/05/2020

Illinois’ broken pension system puts $100,000 a year or more into the hands of 62 former state lawmakers. It has paid more than $1 million to 94 of them.

TAGS: Arthur L. Berman, Barbara Flynn Currie, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, Jim Edgar, lawmaker pay, Lou Lang, Pat Quinn, pensions

Illinois lawmakers offer voters a tax hike, let deadline pass for constitutional reforms

By Ben Szalinski

05/05/2020

Only Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive income tax amendment will appear on the ballot in November. Voters were denied a chance to make critical reforms to state government.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, debt, fair maps, pensions, progressive income tax, spending cap, term limits

Chicago needs a ‘wartime budget’ to face the COVID-19 crisis

By Adam Schuster, Ben Szalinski

04/28/2020

City leaders must prioritize critical spending – and avoid hiking taxes on a struggling economy.

TAGS: Chicago, coronavirus, COVID-19, credit rating, emergency, Lori Lightfoot, pensions

Why Congress should reject Illinois’ $44 billion bailout request

By Adam Schuster

04/23/2020

Two decades of fiscal mismanagement have left state finances ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress should condition any additional aid for troubled states on taxpayer protections that ensure pensions are solvent, accounting is realistic and budgets are balanced.

TAGS: bailout, budget, coronavirus, COVID-19, debt, Don Harmon, JB Pritzker, pensions, U.S. Congress

Illinois scheduled to give $261M in automatic pay raises to state workers

By Mailee Smith

04/13/2020

Pritzker should join other Democratic governors in postponing automatic pay raises, which would free up funds for needy Illinoisans and potentially preserve state worker jobs in the long run.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, coronavirus, COVID-19, pensions, public sector, state worker pay

Pension reform is more popular than Pritzker, and other Illinois polling data that may surprise you

By Austin Berg

03/12/2020

Three points stick out in recently released numbers: First, J.B. Pritzker is not a popular governor. Second, pollsters need to get real about the “fair tax” fantasy. And third, pension reform draws a diverse base of support, except at the Statehouse

TAGS: fair tax, JB Pritzker, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, pensions, progressive income tax

Poll shows diverse support for Illinois pension reform

By Ben Szalinski

03/11/2020

Illinois Democrats, union members, government or nonprofit workers, and people of all income groups support a pension amendment that allows for changes in cost-of-living raises and other future benefits.

TAGS: constitutional amendment, Illinois Constitution, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, pensions

New Mexico passes bipartisan pension reform

By Adam Schuster

03/10/2020

As Illinois elected leaders continue to delay action on pension reform, a broad and bipartisan coalition has succeeded in pushing for reforms to public employee benefits in New Mexico.

TAGS: COLA: cost of living adjustment, constitutional amendment, government unions, Illinois Supreme Court, JB Pritzker, New Mexico, pensions

To prevent political bribery in Illinois, change the House Rules

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s power over Illinois politics is more precarious than ever. A steady stream of federal investigations, wiretaps and raids of people close to him, a deferred prosecution agreement with Commonwealth Edison wherein the utility giant admitted to bribing the speaker, and a grand jury subpoena served to Madigan’s office have led...

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To prevent political bribery in Illinois, change the House Rules

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Carrie Schindler

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

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