Illinois Pensions

WATCH: State Lawmaker Erupts Into Tirade During Pension Debate

Posted 05.30.2012

Read More: Video, Illinois Pension Reform, Pat Quinn, Michael Madigan, Mike Bost Pensions, Mike Bost Meltdown, Mike Bost Illinois, Mike Bost Screams, Mike Bost, Illinois Politics, Mike Bost Throws Paper, Tom Cross, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

A Republican Illinois state lawmaker on Tuesday screamed and threw papers into the air while decrying the state's Democrat-led pension reform bill tha...

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Legislature's Decisions Have Local Impact

Dick Simpson | Posted 05.30.2012

Read More: Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Mental Health Facility Closures, Illinois Budget Cuts, Chicago Mental Health Clinic Closures, Illinois Pension Crisis, Illinois Medicaid Cuts, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

The last weeks of the state legislative session hold dire consequences for our neighborhoods. As usual, more decisions are being made in backroom deals than by meaningful debate and votes in public.

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Can Democrats Handle Illinois' Budget Reality?

AP | CHRISTOPHER WILLS | Posted 05.02.2012

Read More: Illinois Budget, Video, Michael Madigan, Illinois Democrats, Illinois Health Care Costs, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Democratic Party, Illinois Democrats Budget, Illinois Medicaid, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Facing one of the nation's worst budget crises, the Democrats who run Illinois insist they're serious about overhauling the ...

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Gov. Quinn Urges Delayed Retirement, Upped Worker Contributions

Posted 04.21.2012

Read More: Dan Rutherford, Pat Quinn Pension Pan, Video, Illinois Pension Reform, Pat Quinn, Illinois Pension Changes, Illinois Pension Funding, Governor Quinn, Christine Radogno, Governor Quinn Pensions, Illinois Politics, Tom Cross, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday introduced his plan to address the state's growing pension crisis by cutting costs and -- the governor proposed -- d...

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Ramping Up for Pension Legislation

Robert Reed | Posted 04.07.2012

Read More: State Pension Reform, State Pension Rules, Illinois Pension Reform, IL Pension Reform, Illinois Pension Funding, Illinois Pensions, Pension Reform, Chicago News

This year, we'll see how determined our leaders are as they launch various efforts to comprehensively fix a benefit system that's teetering on financial ruin and may ultimately plummet the state government into insolvency.

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State Given Worst Credit Rating In U.S.

Posted 01.09.2012

Read More: Illinois Credit Rating Downgraded, US Credit Rating, Illinois Budget, Pension Reform Illinois, Pat Quinn, Moodys Investors Service, Pensions, Illinois Deficit, Illinois Credit Rating, Moody's, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

Citing the state's ongoing financial problems, Moody's Investor Service on Friday downgraded Illinois's credit rating to the lowest of any state in th...

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Quinn Signs Pension Reform Into Law

Chicago Tribune | SOPHIA TAREEN | Posted 03.06.2012

Read More: Illinois Pensions, Illinois Pension Reform, Chicago News

CHICAGO-- Public employees can no longer rely on some loopholes to inflate their state benefits, including one that allowed two union officials to qua...

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Things Are Not Looking Up For Illinois' Budget

Posted 01.04.2012

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois Bills, Pat Quinn, Illinois 2013 Budget, Pension Reform, Illinois Unpaid Bills, Illinois 2012 Budget, Illinois Budget Outlook, Beyond Broke, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

With billions of dollars in unpaid bills and a more than $500 million budget deficit this year alone, it's hard to imagine Illinois's finances getting...

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State House Democrats Push For Softer Pension Reform Bill

Posted 12.13.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois Pension Funding, Illinois Pension Reform, Public Employee Pensions, Pat Quinn, Michael Madigan, Kevin McCarthy, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

Citing constitutional concerns, several Illinois Democrats are pushing for a softer version of previously-approved state pension reform legislation --...

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State Lawmakers Waiting For Emanuel On Pension Overhaul

Chicago News Cooperative | Posted 01.18.2012

Read More: Springfield, Illinois Pensions, Rahm Emanuel, Chicago News

Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) said Thursday that he hoped Mayor Rahm Emanuel would do more than he has so far to help the stalle...

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Veto Session Updates: Red Light Cameras, Gambling, Pensions & More

Posted 01.09.2012

As the Illinois General Assembly's fall veto session rallies on in Springfield, debates over gambling, pension reform, red-light cameras in Chicago an...

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Top Rahm Aide Set Herself Up For Sweet CTA Pension

Better Government Association | Posted 12.24.2011

Read More: Theresa Mintle, Cta, Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

Mayoral Chief of Staff Theresa Mintle helped enact a special early-retirement plan at her former employer--the Chicago Transit Authority--that entitle...

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New TV Spot: 'Illinois Is Broke,' Children Will Pay

Posted 12.19.2011

Read More: Commercial Club of Chicago, Illinois Budget Deficit, Pat Quinn, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Civic Federation, Illinois Financial Health, Illinois Budget, Video, Illinois Pension Reform, Ty Fahner, Illinois Is Broke, Illinois Pension Funding, Governor Quinn, Illinois Economy, Laurence Msall, Illinois Pensions, Beyond Broke, Chicago News

A new television spot aimed at pension reform for state employees made its debut Wednesday. The spot, sponsored by the Civic Committee of the Comme...

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John Cullerton Suggests Taxing Pensions For Higher-Earning Retirees

Chicago Sun-Times | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pensions, Illinois Budget, John Cullerton Pensions, Illinois Pensions, Illinois Retirees, John Cullerton, Chicago News

The top Senate Democrat Monday suggested taxing retirement income for high-earning senior citizens for the first time to help lower income taxes that ...

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State Pension Contribution Plan Called 'Incredibly Dangerous'

The Huffington Post | William Alden | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Wisconsin, Labor, Pat Quinn, Bonds, Economic Crisis, Scott Walker, Business News, Wisconsin Pension, Pensions, Illinois, Illinois Pensions, Wisconsin Protests, Business News

As state and local governments face daunting pension shortfalls, some pension systems are taking controversial steps to stay solvent. As lawmakers ...

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PHOTOS: Ten WORST States For Retirement

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Pensions, California Retirement, Worst States to Retire In, Worst Retirement States, Retirement, Slidepollajax, New York Retirement, Worst States for Retirement, Illinois Retirement, Chicago News

Since the economy took a turn for the worse, many people thinking about retirement were forced to reconsider. Others were forced into early retirement...

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Jon Burge Still Collecting Pension, Despite Conviction

Chicago Tribune | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pensions, Illinois Pensions, Jon Burge Guilty, Jon Burge Torture, Jon Burge, Jon Burge Pension, Chicago, Chicago News

Despite former Chicago police commander Jon Burge's federal convictions in June, Burge continues to collect his pension....

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For Teachers Unions, Focus Should Be Brady

Paras Bhayani | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Federation of Teachers, Pat Quinn, Illinois Income Tax Increase, Bill Brady, Illinois Education, Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois Education Association, Jim Edgar, Illinois Pensions, Dan Hynes, Chicago News

When it comes to education, Illinois voters have a stark choice this November: a Democrat who would fund the schools versus a Republican who would gut them.

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Pat Quinn Still Pushing Borrowing For Pension Payment

AP | DEANNA BELLANDI | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois Pensions, Pat Quinn, Illinois Pension Funding, Pat Quinn Budget, Illinois Budget, Quinn Pension Plan, Quinn Budget, Illinois Pension Crisis, Chicago News

CHICAGO — Lawmakers will return to Springfield next week to try to pass a budget, but Gov. Pat Quinn refused to say Friday whether he would sign...

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Salary 'Sweetening' Adds To Pension Crisis

Chicago Breaking News | July 15, 2010 11:46 PM | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Pensions Crisis, Chicago Ridge, Illinois Pensions, Illinois, Pension Sweetening, Chicago, Chicago News

Some municipalities are sweetening deals for their top police and fire administrators even as they call for pension reform in Springfield. Illinois' ...

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State Investigates Pension For Crooked Cop In Melrose Park

Chicago Sun-Times | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Gary Montino, Illinois Department of Insurance, Melrose Park Police Chief, Vito Scavo, Melrose Park, Illinois Pensions, Chicago, Chicago News

A state agency is investigating a decision last week by the Melrose Park Police Pension Board to award a pension to a former crooked deputy police chi...

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Illinois Budget: Senate Passes Budget To Skip Pension Payments, House Considers Bill Today

AP | CHRISTOPHER WILLS | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pat Quinn, Illinois Pensions, John Cullerton, Chicago, Illinois Budget 2010, Illinois Senate, Illinois Budget, Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Democrats in the Illinois Legislature began pushing forward Thursday with a budget that would shortchange troubled pension s...

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Illinois' Budget NIGHTMARE: A Guide

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Pensions, Pat Quinn, Chicago, Illinois Budget 2010, Illinois Budget, Pat Quinn Budget, Illinois, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Spending Cuts, Bill Brady Spending Cuts, Bill Brady, Illinois Bonds, Pat Quinn Tax Increase, Chicago News

The Illinois State Legislature is set to adjourn at the end of this week. Looming large over the close of the legislative session is the state's massi...

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Without Reforms, Chicago's Pension Funds Will Fail

R. Eden Martin | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Public Employees, Chicago-Illinois, Unions, Retirement, Illinois Pensions, Illinois Pension Funding, Chicago News

An increase in City pension funding in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars would threaten even more serious budget imbalances, or tax increases, or both.

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Vito Scavo, Corrupt Ex-Police Chief, Receives $8000-A-Month Pension Despite Conviction

Chicago Sun-Times | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Pensions, Illinois Pension Reform, Melrose Park, Vito Scavo, Chicago, Illinois, Melrose Park Police Chief, Vito Scavo Corruption, Vito Scavo Pension, Chicago News

Vito Scavo -- the crooked former Melrose Park police chief -- muscled a Catholic church, a movie theater, a children's amusement park and other busine...

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