Illinoisans should know lawmakers in the past made big moves to fix the state's worst-in-the-nation pension crisis. It’s politically possible. They just need a little reminder of our history.

Once again proving why the state must amend the Illinois Constitution’s pension clause, the court unanimously ruled in favor of a special perk that inflated union leader pensions to nearly three times the pension of the average worker.

State lawmakers overrode Gov. Rauner’s veto of a bill that allows one former firefighter serving as a Chicago alderman to credit his political salary toward a more lucrative fire pension. The pension boost will also apply to future aldermen with a history of fire department work.

Illinois House members voted to override Gov. Rauner’s veto of a bill that would allow a former firefighter serving as a Chicago aldermen to credit his political salary toward a more lucrative fire pension. While just one alderman now qualifies, the bill could extend the perk to more in the future.

A pension plan pushed by one Illinois think tank fails to reform the state’s broken pension system and risks repeating costly mistakes. Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker shouldn’t be fooled and should instead endorse meaningful, lasting reform.

The average six-figure retiree contributed just over $160,000 toward their own pension over the course of their career.