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Now that voters have sent a clear message about pension reform, it’s up to state legislators to decide if they want to listen.
In the Nov. 2 election, 44 communities placed an advisory referendum on their ballots regarding pensions for municipal police officers and firefighters. The measure asked if members of the General Assembly and governor should reform public safety pensions and relieve the financial burden on taxpayers.
The measure passed by substantial margins in every town.
The highest approval among the 21 western suburban communities that had the referendum came from Burr Ridge, where more than 87 percent of voters approved the measure. The smallest margin of approval came from Brookfield and Lyons with about 73 percent of voters in each town affirming the question.
Local municipal officials traveled to Springfield last week to press their case for pension reform as members of the Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities Coalition; both the state House and Senate began hearings on the issue. The group wants a total overhaul of the system with recommended changes such as raising the normal retirement age from 50 to 60, the maximum pension be provided only after 35 years of service, a pensionable salary cap, a maximum pension of 72 percent of final salary, and the ability to calculate pensions by an average final salary based on the highest eight consecutive years out of the past 10 years.
Police and fire union representatives, however, are reluctant to see this much change. A few of them dismissed the advisory referendum, stating voters didn’t really understand the question because it was too vague.
We believe the referendum language was clear, and claiming it was too vague is an attempt to avoid the real issue. Voters are demanding changes that will save them money.
Police and fire unions now must present their own plans for salvaging pensions without bilking taxpayers. Some kind of reform is crucial, and the unions must tell us how they intend to fix the system.
Now that voters have sent a clear message about pension reform, it’s up to state legislators to decide if they want to listen.
In the Nov. 2 election, 44 communities placed an advisory referendum on their ballots regarding pensions for municipal police officers and firefighters. The measure asked if members of the General Assembly and governor should reform public safety pensions and relieve the financial burden on taxpayers.
The measure passed by substantial margins in every town.
The highest approval among the 21 western suburban communities that had the referendum came from Burr Ridge, where more than 87 percent of voters approved the measure. The smallest margin of approval came from Brookfield and Lyons with about 73 percent of voters in each town affirming the question.
Local municipal officials traveled to Springfield last week to press their case for pension reform as members of the Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities Coalition; both the state House and Senate began hearings on the issue. The group wants a total overhaul of the system with recommended changes such as raising the normal retirement age from 50 to 60, the maximum pension be provided only after 35 years of service, a pensionable salary cap, a maximum pension of 72 percent of final salary, and the ability to calculate pensions by an average final salary based on the highest eight consecutive years out of the past 10 years.
Police and fire union representatives, however, are reluctant to see this much change. A few of them dismissed the advisory referendum, stating voters didn’t really understand the question because it was too vague.
We believe the referendum language was clear, and claiming it was too vague is an attempt to avoid the real issue. Voters are demanding changes that will save them money.
Police and fire unions now must present their own plans for salvaging pensions without bilking taxpayers. Some kind of reform is crucial, and the unions must tell us how they intend to fix the system.
