By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker is continuing to push a plan he introduced two years ago to reform Illinois pensions. The governor announced on Monday he is reviving a plan he introduced during his 2024 budget address that calls for fully funding pensions by 2048 and changing
State representative Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, applauds governor JB Pritzker’s leadership on embracing the bold ideas for pension reform and a plan to pay down the state of Illinois over $140 Billion pension debt. “Throughout my tenure as pension chair and now pension-appropriations chair, we have thoughtfully studied and evaluated the
Once again, like the sun rising over the Great Lakes, there is an opinion in the news that disrespects the hardworking people who give so much to our state. Over the past three years, my committee and I have been working on a comprehensive package to retain and attract dedicated
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Public employees hired since 2011 must continue to wait for pension reform after Illinois lawmakers declined to take up the issue during the spring session. Lawmakers and labor unions have both expressed concern that benefits for Tier 2 employees – those who entered the public
Thursday, Jan. 20 legislation to authorize additional funding and extend the successful “Batinick Buyout” program for State pensions passed out of the House Personnel & Pensions Committee. House Bill 4292, of which representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) is a chief co-sponsor, was passed by the committee with unanimous support. “I’m happy
Governor JB Pritzker signed a pension consolidation bill into law December 18. The legislation, SB1300, will consolidate Illinois’ 649 downstate and suburban police and fire pension funds. By consolidating pension assets, SB1300 will increase investment returns and decrease the cost of managing the funds. State representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) was
Val W. Zimnicki of Taxpayers United of America holds documents in a press announcement Thursday, Dec. 5 in Geneva which reveal excessive government pensions.
By Peter Hancock A plan to consolidate 649 downstate municipal police and firefighter pension funds into just two unified systems hit an unexpected snag Tuesday, but officials on both sides of the disagreement vowed to continue talking in hopes of reaching an agreement. Just hours before the bill was scheduled
