Cities and Villages Seek to Merge Local Police and Fire Pension Funds

From the Illinois News Network: As costs grow, cities push to consolidate hundreds of local public safety pension funds By Brett Rowland | Illinois News Network City leaders want to consolidate hundreds of local pension funds for police officers and … Continue reading

Pension Funding for McHenry County Townships

Looking at the financial shape of townships in McHenry County, a Friend of McHenry County Blog found the following Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund information filed with the State Comptroller for 2017 (for Algonquin, Chemung, Dorr, Grafton, McHenry, Nunda, Riley and … Continue reading

Illinois Police Institute Features Bob and Anna May Miller’s Pensions

From the Illinois Policy Institute: AMID CONTROVERSY, POLITICAL TOWNSHIP COUPLE BANKS NEARLY $100K IN PENSION BENEFITS Voted out of office in 2017 amid allegations of patronage and waste, Algonquin Township’s former highway commissioner has since found work at neighboring townships … Continue reading

Local Pensions Cause Huge Real Estate Tax Increases

An article by Austin Berg of  the Illinois Policy Institute: WHY YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IS SO HIGH, AND HOW TO FIX IT Less than 50 cents of every additional property tax dollar over the last 20 years went to … Continue reading

Pensions and Property Taxes

An article by Austin Berg of  the Illinois Policy Institute: WHY YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IS SO HIGH, AND HOW TO FIX IT Less than 50 cents of every additional property tax dollar over the last 20 years went to … Continue reading

Pointing to Algonquin Township Road District Payroll Spiking to Increase Pension Bases Under Bob Miller

Published by Illinois Leaks and republished with permission. Algonquin Township Road District – Why taxpayers may have to pay for a very long time BY KIRK ALLEN ON MAY 28, 2018 • ( LEAVE A COMMENT ) McHenry Co. (ECWd) – The Algonquin Township Road District … Continue reading

John Jung Draws Both McHenry County Board Salary and Pension

Long-time McHenry County Board member John Jung is being paid not only by the McHenry County Board, but but by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund for past service. During the Fiscal Year ending in November, 2017, Jung’s compensation was $43,282.80. That … Continue reading

McHenry County Board Committee Misses Chance to Talk about Jack Franks’ Latest Doomed Crusade: Eliminating Pensions for Elected Countywide Officials

Further evidence that McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks cares nothing about eliminating IMRF pensions for countywide officials is the cancellation of tomorrow’s Human Relations Committee meeting. The first indication was that Franks introduced no bill to abolish such elected … Continue reading

Jack Franks’ County Official Pension Elimination Issue Tabled at Franks’ Request

The McHenry County Board tabled discussion on eliminating pensions for countywide elected officials without discussion from anyone except Chairman Jack Franks. No discussion. Just a hurried voice vote. But immediately after County Board member Mike Walkup gave an explanation of … Continue reading

The Millers’ IMRF Pension Payments

Getting questions about how much Bob and Anna May Miller are receiving in pension payments from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. The answer is Robert Miller retired effective 6/1/2017 with 44 years and 7 months of IMRF service credit. He … Continue reading

Five Countywide Elected Officials in IMRF Pension Program, Four Not

Since the subject of Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pensions will be discussed at tomorrow night’s McHenry County Board meeting, I think folks might be interested in seeing which ones are currently participating in pension program.  They follow: Not on the … Continue reading

Craig Wilcox Proposes Legal Approach to Accomplish Jack Franks’ Illegal Proposal to Abolition Pensions of Countywide Elected Officials

A press release from McHenry County Board members Craig Wilcox, who is running for the GOP nomination for State Senate: Wilcox: Alternative Pension Solution More Binding McHENRY, IL – Retired Air Force Colonel and current McHenry County Board Member Craig … Continue reading

IMRF Says Franks’s Proposed Pension Revocation Action for Countywide Elected Officials Illegal and Unconstitutional

In an October 2, 2017, letter from Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund Executive Director Louis Kosiba, McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks is told that removing countywide elected officials is unconstitutional “It cannot be abrogated by a belief that a certain … Continue reading

Will County Board Concluded It Could NOT Take Away Countywide Elected Officials’ Pensions, as Jack Franks Is Proposing

v In another attempt to grab headlines, McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks has proposed a resolution to prevent current countywide elected officials from participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pension program According to the Will County State’s Attorney’s … Continue reading

Jack Franks Seems to Be Saying that If He Can’t Have a Pension as County Board Chairman, No Countywide Officials Should Get One

Appearing apparently from the head of McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks is a resolution for next Wednesday’s Human Resources Committee that would end pensions for all countywide officials. Franks certainly wants citizens to think that he led, whether he … Continue reading

“Other Post Employment Benefit Costs” and Impact Withdrawing from SEDOM Will Have on School Districts

Cary Grade School Board President Scott Coffey suggested looking at the Woodstock School District’s “Other Post Employment Benefit Costs” in a comment under Susan Handelsman’s cost-benefit analysis of keeping Clay Academy, a special education facility, open. I asked for an … Continue reading

County Board IMRF Law Reverberates Around the State

The new state statute authored by State Rep. Jack Franks as part of his campaign for McHenry County Board Chairman is making waves across Illinois. I’ve noticed stories in two counties so far: Madison County, near St. Louis Will County … Continue reading