One of the many reasons Illinois' pension funds are in trouble is because for a long time, politicians would move allies into higher-paying gigs at the end of their careers.
That practice allowed many a pension pay out to soar.
Not this time.
Governor Pat Quinn did just give a longtime aide a promotion. On Friday, he elevated his budget director, Jerry Stermer to be comptroller.
But, Stermer should not see a change in his state pension benefit. Stermer has reportedly said he's not interested in trying for any increase.
And the head of the a state retirement fund, Tim Blair, says Stermer won't be comptroller long enough to get much of one -- he has agreed to resign on January 12th.
"This service couldn't even be included in the calculation of the pension unless there is at least two years' service, in the General Assembly's Retirement System, which there will not be."
Blair also says Stermer's salary would be above the cap on the amount that figures into his pension.
Quinn says he choose Stermer because he shares many of the same values as the late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.
