Progress Illinois

That is the conclusion of a new report from the Urban Institute, which examined not one, not two, but five rounds of cuts New Jersey made to its public employee pension system since 2007. A 25 year-old who becomes a New Jersey public employee tomorrow would actually lose retirement money under the latest pension plan if they quit their job before turning 50.

The study generally applies to Illinois as well. The state instituted sweeping changes in its pension program two years ago for incoming employees and is, of course, exploring further reductions for current and retired public workers. Read more »

AFSCME Council 31, the state’s main public employees union, and a group of state lawmakers vowed today to undo Gov. Pat Quinn's closing of corrections facilities, including Dwight women’s prison and Tamms supermax prison, during the fall veto session.

Overriding Quinn’s decision requires 3/5 approval from the House and Senate. Any vote would take place in November – after the scheduled closings of Tamms and Dwight.

With that timetable in mind, Henry Bayer, executive director of AFSCME Council 31, said in a press conference call today that the union might take legal action. Read more »

Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law Friday legislation that makes Illinois disclose the terms of most of its major corporate tax breaks on a state Web site.

But the law only makes the Economic Development for a Growing Economy, or EDGE, tax credit program more transparent. It does not reform a somewhat convoluted tax credit program one watchdog assailed as “corporate blackmail.” Read more »