Illinois Senate President John Cullerton is championing a bill to merge more than 640 local police and fire pension funds into two investment pools. With lawmakers returning to Springfield for veto session, action on the bill may be near.

If Illinois groups could come together to bring the same enthusiasm and support to a constitutional amendment, the state could fix its pension problem once and for all.

Consolidating downstate and suburban police and fire pension systems is a start, but both fixes and Illinois’ pension problems go much deeper.

Illinois counties are hiring debt collectors to track down people who may owe money for older, unpaid traffic tickets. One woman accused of owing money would have been just 14 when the ticket was issued.

Florida is the top destination for Illinois retirees collecting a public pension.

Illinois is home to the nation’s worst pension problem. A bill aimed at double-dipping by local politicians could make it better as Illinois pursues a pension system overhaul.

A former Edwardsville university administrator and a retired judge each have collected more than $3 million in pension payments. Too little paid in with too much taken out is the heart of Illinois’ pension crisis.

Pension costs now consume nearly 70 percent of the city’s annual property tax levy. It may not be enough.

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