Public Employees Argue Against Fast Review Of Pension Law

State workers behind a challenge to an Illinois
pension law declared unconstitutional are opposing the government's attempt to
have it speedily heard by the Illinois Supreme Court.
 
 Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked the court last week to hasten its schedule
for considering the case. She argues that the government needs a decision
quickly because if it can't implement the law, it would have to find a way to
make up about $1 billion in savings in the first year.
 
 But attorneys for the employees say in a Tuesday filing that the state's motion
is based on a ``false sense of urgency.''
 
 They argue that rights will be protected through the normal ``orderly
process.''
 
 The law was written to reduce pension benefits to close an approximately $100
billion state pension debt.