Cook County property taxes funding pensions more than service – Illinois Policy

Since 1996, the amount of money municipalities in Cook County outside of Chicago have levied to keep up with police and fire pensions has grown nearly five times. The amount levied to keep up services has not even doubled. And in Chicago, on net, every new property tax dollar raised since 2014 has gone to fund pension costs. In the 2024 Chicago budget, police and fire pensions were responsible for more than 66 percent of the property tax levy.