Questions for Illinois’ so-called progressive Democrats who have chosen to run and hide

[fklonsky]

5. Not smart reforms.

The particular reform you are referring to was passed two years ago.
The current Democratic Party pension reform proposals would cut cost of living adjustments to retirees, raise the retirement age, shift the defined benefit pension system to a 401K type cash balance plan and would end the state's responsibility for paying their share of the pension cost.
Curent state employees pay 9.4 percent of their salary into the system. The state has not fully met their obligation for the past 50 years. The state now has a 100 billion dollar pension liability. It must be paid, yet none of their proposals for cutting benefits to senior pensioners would solve this problem. Illinois is only one of a few states that does not have a progressive income tax. A housekeeper at the Hyatt hotel pays the same tax rate as Penny Pritzker who owns the hotels. The state cannot pay its bills without raising revenues.
It is hard to think of this situation as smart or Democratic. Looks more Republican.
It is the state that has been the pension abuser. Not the state's employees.