By Ted Dabrowski, Craig Lesner, John Klingner

Tax-hike proponents claim there’s no way to fix Illinois’ chronic budget problems without more money. They want Illinoisans to believe the state’s tax revenues simply aren’t enough to cover the cost of government.

But tax revenues aren’t the real problem. Illinois’ perennial budget crises stem from the state’s persistent overspending and misplaced spending priorities. The 2016 budget gridlock is the culmination of years of fiscal mismanagement under Illinois House of Representatives Speaker Mike Madigan’s leadership.

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Through its recent decisions, the Illinois Supreme Court delivered a clear message that pension reform efforts seeking to unilaterally reduce benefits simply cannot be squared with the Illinois Constitution’s pension clause. That outcome was hardly surprising given the plain language, drafting history, and prior court decisions interpreting the pension clause.

Now that the Illinois Supreme Court has clearly reaffirmed that welching is simply not an option the General Assembly may pursue, the question becomes what can legislators do?

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By: J. Scott Moody

Taxpayers, families and business owners have been fleeing Illinois for decades in search of a friendlier environment to put down roots or grow a business. New data from the Internal Revenue Service for the 2010 tax year show that Illinois had the second-worst loss of people and income nationally.

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By Michael Lucci

Illinois is one of a handful of states that is still struggling to put people back to work after the Great Recession. Just consider: Though Illinois now has 39,000 more private-sector payrolls jobs now than it had before the Great Recession began, there are 110,000 fewer Illinoisans working than before the recession began.

Illinois’ recovery has been tripped up by anti-jobs regulations, staggering debt problems and painful tax hikes. While surrounding states have attracted new investments and jobs growth, hard-working families in Illinois have been left behind because the state simply hasn’t put its house in order. This has resulted in weak growth and a struggling jobs recovery likely driven by part-time work.

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By: Michael Lucci

Most states have far outstripped Illinois on the number of jobs recovered. And even worse, Illinois has also lagged in the quality of jobs recovered. Illinois was the 37th state to recover and match its pre-recession jobs count. But there are still 110,000 fewer Illinoisans working today than before the recession began.

Illinois is one of a handful of states that is still struggling to put people back to work after the Great Recession. Just consider: Though Illinois now has 39,000 more private-sector payrolls jobs now than it had before the Great Recession began, there are 110,000 fewer Illinoisans working than before the recession began.

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By: Suzanne McGee

As Americans look to build their future on 401k plans, they find themselves perched atop nest eggs that are far too small

Here’s a thought about how to make America great again: bring back pensions.

If Donald Trump really is intent on turning back the clock to the glory days of an America before globalization knocked the stuffing out of the US manufacturing sector, why stop at trade?

Part of what is making all but the wealthiest Americans feel so economically vulnerable today isn’t just that incomes have been eviscerated. It’s the fact that when we retire, those of us without pensions – a growing proportion, especially if we’re not public sector employees or union employees – are perched atop very, very tiny nest eggs.

2016 IPPFA MidAmerican Pension Conference is now open for enrollment.

Registration now open for the 2016 IPPFA MidAmerican Pension Conference Golf Outing.

2016 IPPFA MidAmerican Pension Conference is schedule for October 4th – 7th, 2016, at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, WI.

Important update for the 2016 IPPFA MidAmerican Pension Conference: The Grand Geneva Resort & Spa is now full. The Holiday Inn Club Vacation is now accepting reservations. You may also book over the phone by calling (866) 915-4224 and providing the agent with your travel dates between 10/3/2016 and 10/8/2016 along with the group code which is IPP

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By: Greg Hinz

Now that Illinois finally has half a budget for half a year—Hallelujiah! Praise the Lord!—it’s not unreasonable to ask when we’re going to get the rest, that being spending for the second half a year and a tax package to pay for it all instead of continuing to put it on the plastic.

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