Plan for over 640 police, fire pensions barely touches Illinois’ $200B problem

By Adam Schuster

10/15/2019

Consolidating downstate and suburban police and fire pension systems is a start, but both fixes and Illinois’ pension problems go much deeper.

TAGS: IMRF: Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Illinois property tax relief begins by culling nearly 7,000 local government units

By Adam Schuster

10/08/2019

Illinois’ overabundance of local government layers provides ample room to consolidate and save property taxes.

TAGS: budget, consolidation, local government consolidation, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes, townships

CTU strikes mostly harm minority students, low income families

By Bryce Hill

10/07/2019

While the city, Chicago Public Schools and taxpayers are all at financial risk from Chicago Teachers Union demands, it is ultimately students who will pay the highest price if the union strikes for the third time in seven years.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, strike

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

CTU demands are an insult to average Chicago taxpayers

By Bill Reveille

10/03/2019

Property tax collections for Chicago Public Schools have grown nearly twice as fast as the typical Chicago household income.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, labor, Lori Lightfoot, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, strike, taxes

Sangamon County home values down 7%, property taxes up 14% since recession

By Brad Weisenstein

09/25/2019

Without true pension reform, Sangamon County homeowners will only continue to see the gap between their property taxes and home values grow.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, Sangamon County, Springfield, taxes

Illinois’ $241B pension debt still worst in nation despite record income tax hike

By Adam Schuster

09/24/2019

A new report shows Illinois’ unfunded pension debt liability remained highest in the nation despite the 2017 income tax hike.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax, property taxes, taxes

Peoria residents face new property tax fee devoted entirely to pensions

By Ben Szalinski

09/24/2019

The city of Peoria is adding a new fee to residents’ property tax bills to help shore up the city’s public safety pensions.

TAGS: fees, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, peoria, 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