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.
Great article about Illinois hatred of Democracy and the completely rigged election system. “February elections in odd-numbered years are a gift to unions”. Spot on. And a gift to incumbents. “Illinois holds local elections in February during off-cycle years, which keeps turnout low and helps insiders cling to power.”
Illinois has more in common with North Korea than with America.
JB protects Democrats he does not want Democracy.
Getting that done is like PRITZKER to pass up a buffet table .
All JB does it protect (socialist) Democrats not Democracy.