TO FIX ILLINOIS’ PENSION CRISIS, FIRST CHANGE ITS CONSTITUTION

Link:https://www.illinoispolicy.org/to-fix-illinois-pension-crisis-first-change-its-constitution/

Excerpt:

Illinois allocates more of its budget to pensions than any other state, but pension spending has only skyrocketed. A constitutional amendment is the only way to reform the state’s unsustainable and underfunded pension systems.

Daley College Professor Mike Crenshaw is far from retirement, but he constantly worries whether the State Universities Retirement System will be solvent for him.

“I have 20 years until I can retire, and my biggest fear is that the money’s not going to be there,” Crenshaw said.

….

Because pension benefits are defined in the Illinois Constitution, only a constitutional amendment approved by voters could change pension structures. Amending the constitution would open the door to changing the compounding raises to simple inflationary adjustments – protecting the systems for retirees and ending the excessive drain on taxpayers.

Author(s): Dylan Sharkey

Publication Date: 18 Jan 2022

Publication Site: Illinois Policy Institute