Stop Pension Sweeteners to Secure a Sustainable Future for Illinois Taxpayers!

By voting against pension sweeteners, you can help secure a more stable financial future for every resident of Illinois.

Sign The Letter

Dear Official(s),

Our state is in a dire pension crisis—the worst in the nation—that threatens the financial stability of state and local governments and, ultimately, every taxpayer in Illinois. Despite these urgent challenges, some policymakers are pushing for “pension sweeteners” that only add to the overwhelming burden our public pension systems already impose.
The Crisis We Face:
Overwhelming Liabilities: Illinois’s state and local public pension systems have liabilities of over $300 billion. When divided among our 5 million households, this translates to an estimated cost of $60,000 per household.
Record-High Tax Burdens: Illinois taxpayers face the nation’s highest combined state and local tax rates. This already crushing tax burden is exacerbated by pension obligations that are due soon.
Unsustainable Budget Allocations: Between 20% and 25% of the state’s operating budget is committed to pension spending, the highest in the nation. At the local level, many governments devote more than 100% of their property tax revenues to covering pension costs. This leaves fewer resources for essential services such as education, infrastructure, and public safety.
The Threat of HB 5909 and Bills Like It:
Last year, legislators introduced HB 5909 to “sweeten” Tier 2 pension benefits. A recent COGFA study revealed that the proposed benefit changes would add $30 billion in long-term costs to major pension plans, including the TRS, SERS, and SURS. Notably, the analysis did not extend to other affected systems—such as GARS, JRS, IMRF, and various municipal funds—which could potentially double the financial burden on Illinois taxpayers or worse.
We call on the 104th General Assembly to reject HB 5909’s pension sweeteners and any similar proposals that would add unsustainable costs to our pension systems.
The time to act is now. By voting against pension sweeteners, you can help secure a more stable financial future for every resident of Illinois.
Our state is in a dire pension crisis—the worst in the nation—that threatens the financial stability of state and local governments and, ultimately, every taxpayer in Illinois. Despite these urgent challenges, some policymakers are pushing for “pension sweeteners” that only add to the overwhelming burden our public pension systems already impose.
The Crisis We Face:
Overwhelming Liabilities: Illinois’s state and local public pension systems have liabilities of over $300 billion. When divided among our 5 million households, this translates to an estimated cost of $60,000 per household.
Record-High Tax Burdens: Illinois taxpayers face the nation’s highest combined state and local tax rates. This already crushing tax burden is exacerbated by pension obligations that are due soon.
Unsustainable Budget Allocations: Between 20% and 25% of the state’s operating budget is committed to pension spending, the highest in the nation. At the local level, many governments devote more than 100% of their property tax revenues to covering pension costs. This leaves fewer resources for essential services such as education, infrastructure, and public safety.
The Threat of HB 5909 and Bills Like It:
Last year, legislators introduced HB 5909 to “sweeten” Tier 2 pension benefits. A recent COGFA study revealed that the proposed benefit changes would add $30 billion in long-term costs to major pension plans, including the TRS, SERS, and SURS. Notably, the analysis did not extend to other affected systems—such as GARS, JRS, IMRF, and various municipal funds—which could potentially double the financial burden on Illinois taxpayers or worse.
We call on the 104th General Assembly to reject HB 5909’s pension sweeteners and any similar proposals that would add unsustainable costs to our pension systems.
The time to act is now. By voting against pension sweeteners, you can help secure a more stable financial future for every resident of Illinois.

Sincerely,

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The Consequences:

- Rising Property Taxes: With Illinois already having the second highest property taxes in the nation, the additional debt from HB 5909 would force local governments to raise property taxes even further, squeezing family budgets and discouraging economic growth.

- Increased State Taxes: To meet the mounting pension liabilities, the state will inevitably be forced to hike taxes even more. This increase in state taxes will not only drain resources from families and businesses but will also deter new investments and prompt businesses and residents to relocate, further weakening our local economy.

- Threat to Economic Stability: Without immediate action to rein in pension liabilities, our state risks further fiscal imbalances, potential emigration of residents and businesses, and an overall decline in economic vitality.