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“We’ve paid 2,158 retirees a little over $243 million as part of the [cost of living allocation] buyout program,” said Tim Blair, director of the State Retirement System. The state borrowed to cover those costs, but Blair said it saves more than $300 million in liabilities.
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Audio and summary Why the Holdup Using Artificial Intelligence to Cut Illinois Government Costs? – Wirepoints
May 19, 2026
10 Comments
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
Note to readers from Mark Glennon re: Ukraine
May 6, 2026
4 Comments
Everybody needs a side hustle these days, and mine is Ukraine, where I am now.
Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer – Chicago’s struggling commercial real estate and more
April 22, 2026
5 Comments
Summary and audio linked here.
Please tell me they’re tracking date of death for anyone taking the buyout. It’s going to take yeas, but knowing the mortality rate of anyone taking the buyout will be key into how we judge the program’s performance.
If pension history is any indicator, pensioners almost always profit from whatever incentive the pension systems throw at them: 2.2 service year buyout, ERI, etc. I mean, you wouldn’t take these options unless you made more money by doing so.
The pension buyout option clearly advantages those who are predicted to have a shorter life span, but that’s not a secret to those who chose to offer it either. So, what’s your point?