Illinois’ budget crunch: No cash for pensions

By Ted Dabrowski

10/15/2015

Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger announced the state will delay a $560 million pension payment as the state’s government-pension-driven fiscal crisis worsens.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, Illinois Supreme Court, Leslie Munger, pensions

Illinois pays millions in pension benefits to the dead

By Austin Berg

09/14/2015

More than 1,000 dead Illinoisans received pension payments from 2010 to 2014, according to government records.

TAGS: fraud, waste

Parks and wrecked: City’s reform of Chicago Park District’s pension fund challenged

By John Klingner

08/20/2015

A challenge from the SEIU is looking to set back the city’s attempt to stave off the Chicago Park District's pension-fund insolvency.

TAGS: Chicago Park District

Chicago pension reform ruled unconstitutional

By Ted Dabrowski

07/24/2015

The Illinois Supreme Court’s precedent has made it impossible for Chicago to stave off bankruptcy by making even the most meager reforms to government-worker pensions.

Judges split on state-worker pay in absence of balanced budget

By Jeffrey Schwab

07/19/2015

UPDATED JULY 19: It’s almost inevitable that the state will violate either the Fair Labor Standards Act or the Illinois Constitution

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, budget, David McSweeney, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Supreme Court, John Cullerton, Lisa Madigan, Mike Madigan

In budget battle, Illinois leaders should respect the Constitution

07/02/2015

State leaders took an oath to uphold the Illinois Constitution. But they show deference to the document only as it suits them.

TAGS: budget

Solving Illinois’ pension crisis

By Benjamin VanMetre, Ted Dabrowski

06/08/2015

Actuarial analysis offers options to transition to a defined-contribution retirement plan

Illinois House balks on real workers’ compensation reform

By Heather Weiner

06/07/2015

Illinois’ economy remains hamstrung by a broken system.

TAGS: Jay Hoffman, Jim Durkin, Mike Madigan, Ron Sandack, turnaround agenda, workers compensation

Tweaking payments won’t solve Illinois’ pension crisis

By Jonathan Ingram

06/05/2015

Changing the repayment plan to one based on flawed assumptions and bad accounting does nothing to shield taxpayers from the risks of an imperfect system.

Illinoisans suffer, politicians get paid should General Assembly fail to pass balanced budget

By Jeffrey Schwab

05/31/2015

If state lawmakers fail to pass a balanced budget by a three-fifths majority vote, essential programs will be harmed. But thanks to House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, politicians will still get their paychecks.

TAGS: budget, special session

Illinois Supreme Court

Illinois’ budget crunch: No cash for pensions

Illinois pays millions in pension benefits to the dead

Parks and wrecked: City’s reform of Chicago Park District’s pension fund challenged

Chicago pension reform ruled unconstitutional

Judges split on state-worker pay in absence of balanced budget

In budget battle, Illinois leaders should respect the Constitution

Solving Illinois’ pension crisis

Illinois House balks on real workers’ compensation reform

Tweaking payments won’t solve Illinois’ pension crisis

Illinoisans suffer, politicians get paid should General Assembly fail to pass balanced budget

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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