State Week: Will Illinois Help Its Cities With Pension Problems?

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford,

Brian Mackey, Charles N. Wheeler III

Published July 5, 2019 at 1:00 PM CDT

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants Illinois to help Chicago with its ballooning pension payments, which are squeezing other priorities in the state budget.

But Chicago is far from the only Illinois municipality with underfunded pension systems, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker has rejected the idea of a state takeover.Sean Crawford hosts with regular panelists Charlie Wheeler and Brian Mackey, and guest Hannah Meisel of The Daily Line.

State Week | July 5, 2019

Illinois

Sean Crawford

Sean has led the NPR Illinois news operations since the fall of 2009.

See stories by Sean Crawford

Brian Mackey

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

See stories by Brian Mackey

Charles N. Wheeler III

The director of the Public Affairs Reporting (PAR) graduate program is Professor Charles N. Wheeler III, a veteran newsman who came to the University of Illinois at Springfield following a 24-year career at the Chicago Sun-Times.

See stories by Charles N. Wheeler III