Audio: Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon says Chicago pension buyout plan mostly shifts debt rather than eliminating it, property tax surge doubles inflation over three decades – Chicago’s Morning Answer
April 3, 2026
9 Comments
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Illinois lost another 54,000 tax filers and dependents, net, according to the IRS. Since 2000, fleeing taxpayers have taken $94 billion of annual adjusted gross income with them.
Several of the many construction projects underway across Illinois are extremely dangerous and no doubt many accidents have occurred as a direct result. Anyone killed or injured is just collateral damage in JB’s “keep the union boys happy” campaign. Unlicensed and undocumented drivers behind the wheel are no doubt part of the problem, but the number of major projects underway is unreal.
Interesting and thought-provoking take. So, IL having too-frequent road and highway construction projects to keep union workers eternally employed inherently creates too many dangerous and even life-threatening conditions. Therefore, to save lives, construct better (use better materials, methods, etc.) to lessen the frequency of do-over projects.
Downstate highway construction seems designed more for speed trap tickets than better roads or safety
Yo Adam how about some changes to the way truck drivers are certified, then again how many truck drivers are on the road illegally. Has anyone seen all the run down decrepit trucks on the road lately makes me wonder what the hell,is going on at are expense.