56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

02/08/2019

Illinois’ 101st General Assembly can be leaders in pension reform by passing a constitutional amendment that allows for changes to future, unearned benefits.

TAGS: 401(k), GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, lawmaker pay, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

58 former Illinois state lawmakers collecting six-figure pensions

11/06/2018

Former lawmakers receive generous benefits from the state’s worst-run retirement fund.

TAGS: Arthur L. Berman, COLA: cost of living adjustment, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, Jim Edgar, lawmaker pay, pensions

Illinois House passes bill stopping pay raises for lawmakers

By Brendan Bakala

04/20/2018

House Bill 5760 would stop lawmakers’ scheduled cost-of-living adjustment. Illinois lawmakers are the fifth-highest paid state lawmakers in the nation.

TAGS: COLA: cost of living adjustment, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, lawmaker pay, pensions, salaries

Full month’s pay for a day’s work? New bill ends loophole for state lawmakers

By Brendan Bakala

01/30/2018

House Bill 4273 would eliminate a loophole in state law that allows lawmakers to receive a month's pay for a day of work.

TAGS: ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, lawmaker pay, pensions

Currie to receive 6-figure pension after first year of retirement

By Austin Berg

09/21/2017

The longtime House majority leader will benefit from a sweetener provision that grants massive pension spikes to career lawmakers after one year of retirement.

TAGS: Barbara Flynn Currie, pensions

Madigan, Cullerton will hit the pension lottery

By Austin Berg

06/01/2017

After just one year of retirement, Madigan’s annual pension will shoot up to more than $130,000.

TAGS: GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, John Cullerton, Mike Madigan, pensions

The cost of Illinois’ lawmakers

By John Klingner, Ted Dabrowski

07/26/2016

Illinois lawmakers pay themselves the fifth-highest annual lawmaker base salary in the country.

Hastert will continue receiving $28K pension from Illinois lawmakers’ pension fund

By Amy Korte

04/29/2016

Despite being sentenced to 15 months in prison for a financial crime intended to cover up his sexual abuse of high school students, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert will continue to receive $28,000 annual pension payments for his six years as an Illinois state representative.

TAGS: corruption, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, pensions

What’s driving Illinois’ $111 billion pension crisis

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

04/07/2016

Retirement ages, COLAs and out-of-sync pension payouts

Illinoisans pay 2.5 times for their politicians

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

01/04/2016

Taxpayers pay once for state politicians’ salaries and another 1.5 times for their bankrupt pension system. In 2017, taxpayers will contribute the equivalent of nearly $123,000 for each lawmaker just to keep the General Assembly Retirement System afloat.

TAGS: lawmaker pay, pensions

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56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

58 former Illinois state lawmakers collecting six-figure pensions

Illinois House passes bill stopping pay raises for lawmakers

Full month’s pay for a day’s work? New bill ends loophole for state lawmakers

Currie to receive 6-figure pension after first year of retirement

Madigan, Cullerton will hit the pension lottery

The cost of Illinois’ lawmakers

Hastert will continue receiving $28K pension from Illinois lawmakers’ pension fund

What’s driving Illinois’ $111 billion pension crisis

Illinoisans pay 2.5 times for their politicians

Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

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Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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