Short-term state funding won’t fix Illinois’ systemic higher-education crisis

By John Klingner

04/27/2016

Illinois’ public colleges and universities used to be affordable, but schools have increased tuition from 74-112 percent over the last decade to help pay for administrative hiring sprees and skyrocketing pensions.

TAGS: higher education, pensions, SURS: State Universities Retirement System

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

Illinois Supreme Court ruling could give state workers more retirement options

By Ted Dabrowski

04/06/2016

Concept of “consideration” allows state workers to negotiate for new benefits and could pave a path toward pension reform.

TAGS: Chicago, Illinois Supreme Court, pensions

Chicago State University students: Blame CSU administration for your troubles

By Ted Dabrowski

03/11/2016

CSU's bloated administration costs more than $3,600 per student, by far the highest of all Illinois' public colleges and universities. By comparison, the average MAP grant at CSU is $2,600 per student.

TAGS: budget, CSU: Chicago State University

Pensions vs. higher education

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/04/2016

Skyrocketing pensions, bloated administrations are pricing students out of college degrees

Pensions 101: Understanding Illinois’ massive, government-worker pension crisis

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/03/2016

The crisis threatens to burden taxpayers with massive, ever-escalating taxes to bail out a system that is not sustainable – government-worker pensions consume a fourth of the state’s budget.

Pensions vs. schools

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

01/26/2016

Since 2009, 89 cents of every new dollar for education goes to teacher pensions

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

5 reasons Illinois government-worker pensions are unfair to taxpayers

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

12/09/2015

The outsized benefits received by retired government workers under the State Universities Retirement System and the unfair burden this places on taxpayers demonstrate the urgent need to reform Illinois’ government-worker pensions.

TAGS: SURS: State Universities Retirement System

Kentucky governor-elect: 401(k)-style plans for new government employees

By Ted Dabrowski

11/23/2015

Kentucky’s governor-elect wants 401(k)s for new government employees.

TAGS: 401(k), pensions

State Universities Retirement System

Short-term state funding won’t fix Illinois’ systemic higher-education crisis

What’s driving Illinois’ $111 billion pension crisis

Illinois Supreme Court ruling could give state workers more retirement options

Chicago State University students: Blame CSU administration for your troubles

Pensions vs. higher education

Pensions 101: Understanding Illinois’ massive, government-worker pension crisis

Pensions vs. schools

Illinoisans pay 2.5 times for their politicians

5 reasons Illinois government-worker pensions are unfair to taxpayers

Kentucky governor-elect: 401(k)-style plans for new government employees

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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