Under the union’s complicated salary formulas, yearly government-worker raises are higher than the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees would lead Illinoisans to believe.
Although the Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that altering pension benefits of current government workers violates the Illinois Constitution, there are still actions – from politicians voluntarily reforming their own pension system, to allowing municipal bankruptcy – that Illinois can take to set government-worker pensions on a more fiscally sound path.
Alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders
October saw a former Chicago Public Schools CEO plead guilty to wire fraud and several other instances of criminal charges and civil lawsuits against public officials, as well as crony deals between businesses and government.
In her recent opinion piece, Innovation Illinois’ Elizabeth Austin misrepresented the facts in order to claim Illinoisans don’t pay high taxes: “My View: Illinois OK when right tax info is compared.” As the state budget battle wages on, it’s important for taxpayers to be armed with accurate information. Austin claimed that so far in the...
Without real reforms, low investment yearly returns of 4 to 6 percent over the next 28 years could cost Illinois taxpayers anywhere from $100 billion to $200 billion above what they’re already expected to pay in contributions.
Under civil asset forfeiture laws in Illinois and across the country, law enforcement can seize property without proving it was involved in a crime. Illinois should follow Michigan’s lead and reform these unjust laws.
State politicians will decide the fate of Chicago’s demand for more money, but a budget vote isn’t likely before January 2016.