Illinois lawmakers left Springfield Friday no closer to a deal on pension legislation than when they arrived for their one-day special session. Major legislation that would cut public employee benefits in all five of the state's pension systems was a non-starter. So was a package that passed the Senate this spring that would cut benefits for just state government workers and members of the General Assembly. A House committee passed a bill to cut pension benefits strictly for members of the General Assembly, but even that plan fizzled.

The session ended with finger-pointing at Gov. Pat Quinn from Republicans, Democrats and labor leaders. Quinn has suggested that he will start a "grassroots" campaign to revive major pension legislation.