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

Illinois Tollway overcharged drivers $152K last year by not giving change

By Brad Weisenstein

01/10/2020

The Illinois Tollway is spending $33 million on toll machines, some of which can’t make change. The state agency’s legacy is broken promises, political patronage and overcharging Illinoisans.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, corruption, George Ryan, I-Pass, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois State Toll Highway Commission, Illinois Tollway, Jim Edgar, Jim Thompson, Rod Blagojevich, Springfield, tollway

Former Chicago official had side job with red-light camera company

11/15/2019

The former deputy aviation commissioner had an undisclosed position as a sales representative for SafeSpeed LLC. The red-light camera vendor keeps emerging in federal probes.

TAGS: Board of Ethics, Chicago, Chicago Board of Ethics, Chicago City Hall, Chicago Department of Aviation, Cook County, Cook County commissioner, department of aviation, federal investigation, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, investigation, Jim Edgar, Martin Sandoval, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Springfield

Red-light camera backlash gains bipartisan momentum in Springfield

By Vincent Caruso

10/15/2019

Driver headaches and corruption flow from red-light cameras. Two bills with bipartisan support would ban the traffic devices in Illinois.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, Grant Wehrli, Jonathan Carroll, Margo McDermed, Mark Batinick, Martin Sandoval, red light cameras, Rita Mayfield, SafeSpeed, Sam Yingling

Federal raids intersect with 4 connected to controversial red-light camera company

By Vincent Caruso

10/10/2019

Federal raids on the home and offices of state Sen. Martin Sandoval were followed by raids on several suburban village offices in his senate district. Sandoval and at least three others being investigated are connected to a red-light camera company, which has denied wrongdoing.

TAGS: corruption, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, red light cameras, SafeSpeed

Despite tax hikes, Illinois fails to balance budget for 19th year in a row

By Austin Berg

06/13/2019

Band-Aid fixes and spending-heavy compromises were rampant. And now it’s all coming home to roost.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, fair tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Pritzker’s $3.4B income tax hike can fund less than 4 months of state pension costs

By Austin Berg, Adam Schuster

03/31/2019

Without reform, Illinois’ pension problem will continue to force tax hikes while crowding out the core services residents need.

TAGS: fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax, taxes

Illinois teacher pension fund slams Pritzker’s borrow, delay plan

By Adam Schuster

03/28/2019

The Teachers’ Retirement System pension fund board opposed Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to repeat past mistakes. Here’s why they are right to oppose it.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

The horrid history of political promises in Illinois

By Austin Berg

03/22/2019

Voting for an amendment with Pritzker’s rates attached would be another political promise, made to be broken. And voting for an amendment without them? That’s just a blank check.

TAGS: fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Repeating past mistakes: Pritzker proposes borrowing, stretching out payment ramp as pension solution

By Adam Schuster, Brad Weisenstein

02/15/2019

Trying to fix a massive pension deficit with more tax increases, deferring payments and gambling with taxpayer money is a recipe for failure.

TAGS: bonds, borrowing, credit rating, Dan Hynes, JB Pritzker, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax

Jim Edgar

Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

Illinois Tollway overcharged drivers $152K last year by not giving change

Former Chicago official had side job with red-light camera company

Red-light camera backlash gains bipartisan momentum in Springfield

Federal raids intersect with 4 connected to controversial red-light camera company

Despite tax hikes, Illinois fails to balance budget for 19th year in a row

Pritzker’s $3.4B income tax hike can fund less than 4 months of state pension costs

Illinois teacher pension fund slams Pritzker’s borrow, delay plan

The horrid history of political promises in Illinois

Repeating past mistakes: Pritzker proposes borrowing, stretching out payment ramp as pension solution

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