Illinois state and local governments spend most in nation on pensions

By Adam Schuster
02/22/2019
According to recent data, Illinois spends nearly double the national average on pensions, measured as a percentage of all state and local government spending.

TAGS: GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, JRS: Judges’ Retirement System, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, taxes, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Each Illinois household on the hook for $56K in government-worker retirement debt

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner
03/23/2017
In 2010, the unfunded debt related to pensions and retiree health care costs for local and state government workers across Illinois was $203 billion, the equivalent of more than $43,000 per household. In just six years, the total debt Illinois households are on the hook for has jumped to $56,000, or 31 percent. That’s a $13,000 increase for each household. Total unfunded debt for state and local governments in Illinois now totals $267 billion.

TAGS: GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, JRS: Judges’ Retirement System, pensions, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System