Pensions vs. schools
Since 2009, 89 cents of every new dollar for education goes to teacher pensions
4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap
Causes, costs, how to set the state free
View ReportIllinois Supreme Court
The $53 million boogeyman: Illinois’ financial woes due to decades of mismanagement, not 7 months of gridlock
Illinois paid $53 million more to borrow money through its Jan. 14 bond sale than it would have paid had politicians not let the state’s debt and government-worker pension obligations spiral out of control, while driving out taxpaying residents and businesses through tax hikes and costly regulations.
Rauner making moves on pension reform
On Jan. 21 Gov. Bruce Rauner reignited reform talks surrounding Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation pension crisis.
Despite massive stock-market rally, Illinois’ pension liabilities go up and up and up
The fiscal crises caused by the state’s government-worker pension liabilities.
Kentucky governor-elect: 401(k)-style plans for new government employees
Kentucky’s governor-elect wants 401(k)s for new government employees.
Dear Illinois Supreme Court: 8 things to know about Chicago’s pension-reform law
Regardless of the outcome of the case, the burden Chicagoans face from the government-worker pension crisis won’t be going away any time soon.
8 things to know about Chicago’s pension-reform law
A Cook County judge is scheduled to rule on the constitutionality of Chicago's pension-reform law on July 24. No matter what the outcome is, the pension overhaul will eventually end up in the Illinois Supreme Court. But the ruling may give a clue as to whether or not the city’s reforms will ultimately be upheld.
Moody’s: Chicago taxpayers on the hook for growing pension contributions
Chicago’s contributions to its government-worker pension funds will jump to $1 billion in 2016 from $500 million in 2015, according to a new report by Moody’s Investors Service.
7 pension reforms that Illinois can still enact despite the SB1 ruling
Although the Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that altering pension benefits of current government workers violates the Illinois Constitution, there are still actions – from politicians voluntarily reforming their own pension system, to allowing municipal bankruptcy – that Illinois can take to set government-worker pensions on a more fiscally sound path.
Coming up short: What if Illinois’ pension funds miss their investment targets?
Without real reforms, low investment yearly returns of 4 to 6 percent over the next 28 years could cost Illinois taxpayers anywhere from $100 billion to $200 billion above what they’re already expected to pay in contributions.
