© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Below are the latest stories on the pension issue in Illinois.

Illinois Town Considers Privatizing Fire Dept.

flickr/Terence S. Jones

One of a number of Illinois towns struggling with increasing pension costs wants to save money by shifting control of its fire department to a private company.  

North Riverside officials pitched the proposal at a hearing before state regulators in Chicago on Thursday. Mayor Hubert Hermanek says the move could save $700,000 annually.  

Illinois Municipal League officials say other cities could try similar solutions when the state begins to enforce increasing pension payments in 2016.  

The village was called to the Department of Insurance hearing for underfunding its pensions by $5 million between 2008 and 2012. Records show North Riverside officials didn't put money into its police and firefighter pension funds in recent years.  

Firefighter union officials say the village wasn't financially responsible and privatization would put residents at risk. 

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.
Related Stories