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Gov. Rauner Considers Pension & Budget Options

Zach Bernard

New ways to tackle Illinois' underfunded pension systems could be emerging as Governor Bruce Rauner appears to be backing away from his plan.

There's good reason many lawmakers are feeling flummoxed. Illinois' budget is already sagging. And with last week's state Supreme Court decision tossing a major pension law the deficit is larger still. The court decision was unequivocal - it's unconstitutional to cut state employees' pension benefits. Governor Rauner says he still hopes his fix would meet legal muster, because it leaves current benefits untouched and only deals with future ones. But for the first time, he hinted the justices' unanimous opinion has given him pause:  "When you look at the language, unfortunately their ruling was ... broad and tough and not crystal clear about what can change and what can't. I mean it leaves open to doubt a number of different scenarios."

Rauner says lawmakers should pursue a handful of options, simultaneously. The state's long term pension debt tops $100 billion.  There's also indication Rauner is willing to move some items off his so-called Turnaround Agenda. Rauner says it's premature to give details yet. But he hopes to explain soon. The Republican says he and small groups of legislators have been negotiating behind closed doors and are working to build a consensus.

"We have taken a number of things off the table. I'm not ready to tell you which ones yet, but we will shortly. But we've taken a number of things off the table. This is all part of a negotiation and a compromise. Everybody's going to have to compromise."

The platform Rauner has been promoting calls for making Illinois' workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, and lawsuit systems more business friendly. He also wants to put term-limits on legislators.
Other working groups are focused on pensions, gambling and the budget. Rauner calls his agenda "doable" and says it can still be done by session's scheduled end, on May 31st.
 

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