In their SB 1 ruling, Illinois Supreme Court justices indicate that paying for pensions is more important than funding core government services.

Illinois desperately needs a final ruling on SB 1; the clock is ticking.

Chicago Teachers Union executives say their members shouldn’t have to contribute more money to their retirements because of a contract negotiation nearly 35 years ago.

How did Illinois’ pension plans become so underfunded? In general, by promising far more than can possibly be delivered.

Lake Zurich is struggling under the weight of growing pension costs.

Jon Burge draws thousands of dollars each month from a broken system.

As long as the state mandates pension rules and regulations for local governments, unfunded pension liabilities will continue to pressure local budgets.

Illinois lawmakers now have at least one model on which to base necessary reforms.

While the state waits for the Supreme Court’s SB 1 ruling, Gov. Bruce Rauner and other lawmakers are working up a pitch to amend the state constitution.

Missing from the discussion on Lincolnwood’s pension crisis is talk of the unfunded liability for the village’s firefighter pension fund. That’s because this fund has no unfunded liability – Lincolnwood privatized their fire protection services 25 years ago.