Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

By Adam Schuster

01/17/2020

Across all five state retirement systems, typical career workers pay for about 5% of the cost of their pension benefits. They receive an average of $1.7 million to $3.6 million.

TAGS: Edgar Ramp, firefighter pensions, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, government employees, government services, government unions, government workers, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Jim Edgar, JRS: Judges’ Retirement System, municipal government, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, police pensions, public sector, retirement age, Rod Blagojevich, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, Social Security, social services, Springfield, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, tax hikes, tax increase, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

By Adam Schuster

02/04/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker inherited a $2.8 billion budget deficit the moment he stepped into office. Next year, that deficit is projected to be $3.4 billion1. It’s the same story every budget season. But Illinois’ budget crises could be a thing of the past if the state would adopt pension reform, right-size its union contracts and...

Tax hikes vs. reform: Why Illinois must amend its constitution to fix the pension crisis

By Adam Schuster

08/24/2018

Reforming future benefit growth via a constitutional amendment is the only way to ensure the retirement security of government workers, protect taxpayer budgets and fulfill the needs of Illinoisans reliant on core services.

Illinois lost 1 resident and $50,000 in taxable income every 7 minutes in 2013

By Michael Lucci

10/08/2015

Newly released IRS data show Illinois lost on net over 81,000 taxpayers and their dependents, and $4.1 billion of annual taxable income to other states in 2013.

Illinois corruption watch, August 2014

By Brian Costin

09/05/2014

At least 84 corruption-related stories have been reported from across the state of Illinois in August alone. Atop August headlines is the recent revelation that a federal grand jury subpoenaed the emails of Gov. Pat Quinn’s ex-chief of staff in relation to Quinn’s anti-violence grant program. The case, which has been referred to by some...

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, cronyism, transparency, waste

Arizona firefighters fight for retirement security

08/20/2014

Given they depend on the nation’s worst-funded pension systems for their retirement security, Illinois’ government workers may want to take a look at how a group of Arizona firefighters are responding to pension-fund problems of their own. Arizona’s firefighters fear that out-of-control pension costs could bankrupt cities in Arizona, resulting in cuts to pensions like...

TAGS: Bryan Jeffries, Chicago, pensions

Taxpayers on the hook for billions in hidden government-worker health-care costs

By Benjamin VanMetre, John Klingner

07/25/2014

The problem Skyrocketing retirement costs for Illinois’ state and local government workers are wreaking havoc on governments’ ability to provide core services such as public safety, education and infrastructure. States and cities across the nation continue to struggle with massive pension and health-care costs, which force residents to pay higher taxes and fees to receive...

TAGS: health insurance

Illinois should strive for better marks on hair-braiding regulations

By Bryant Jackson-Green

07/18/2014

The state of Illinois received a near-failing grade for the quality of its natural-hair-braiding licensing rules, according to a new study released by the Institute for Justice. The study overviews natural-hair-braiding (a popular beauty practice among African and African-American communities in the U.S.) regulations in every state in the country, ranking each one based on...

TAGS: licensing, occupational licensing, regulations, small business

Fireworks ban a boon for neighboring states, restricts Illinoisans

By Austin Berg

07/03/2014

Fireworks are a staple in America’s celebration of its Independence Day. But good luck buying any in Illinois. For yet another year, the Land of Lincoln is one of only eight states in the country that doesn’t allow the purchase of consumer fireworks. Illinois’ Pyrotechnic Use Act bans the sale, possession and use of those...

Not as good as you think: Illinois’ underperforming schools

06/05/2014

Is the school your child attends as good as you think it is? New research by Lance Izumi – senior director of education studies at the California-based Pacific Research Institute – shows that a large number of suburban Illinois public schools aren’t making the grade. His study complements research conducted by the Illinois Policy Institute...

Arizona

Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

Tax hikes vs. reform: Why Illinois must amend its constitution to fix the pension crisis

Illinois lost 1 resident and $50,000 in taxable income every 7 minutes in 2013

Illinois corruption watch, August 2014

Arizona firefighters fight for retirement security

Taxpayers on the hook for billions in hidden government-worker health-care costs

Illinois should strive for better marks on hair-braiding regulations

Fireworks ban a boon for neighboring states, restricts Illinoisans

Not as good as you think: Illinois’ underperforming schools

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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