Illinois

- governors and lawmakers used money that was earmarked for the pension fund as slush fund for augmenting the general fund. They wrote "IOUs" and took even the cash contributions of the stateworkers and used it. All illinois residents AND all Illinois businesses got a free ride with no increase in state income taxes, instead raid the pension funds. Not that bill has come due and people want to run from it.

- out side of the Chicago Public school system and all those Chicago area people who pay their share for THEIR teachers and admin retirement via THEIR property taxes, NO DOWNSTATE school district does the same. Not only does chicago pay for their school teachers and admin pensions, they also pay for downstate teachers and admin thru the state income tax, Few, if any legislature wants to discuss this.

- no doubt the pension deal NEEDS to reviewed and reform BUT this requires some guts to do so. You have to address the major issues and few want to have that discussion. Lets revamp so LOCAL school districts MUST provide the pensions for THEIR teachers and admin. REVIEW the giveaways to Illinois University/college pension system as well. Eliminate the 3% annual COLA that makes ZERO sense and tie it to what SS recipients receive.

The bulk of pension issues are teachers, professors and school admin....that NEEDS the review.