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Local Lawmaker Says Pension Reform A Must in 2013

One local lawmaker says he was surprised to see nothing happen during the lame duck session of the Illinois General Assembly in regards to the pension crisis in Illinois.

Former Representative Chapin Rose, who transitioned last week from the General Assembly to the Illinois Senate, says he was surprised nothing happened, but it makes sense. He explains the new legislature now has a super-majority in both the General Assembly and the Senate, so he feels Democrats may have been waiting things out to take advantage of their super-majority status.

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Pension reform has been stalled over the past two years to get anything fixed, and Representative Rose says the most frustrating part is the whole process has been controlled by the Democrats. He says everything is being handled by a handful of lawmakers behind closed doors, and people who care the most about the issue have been absent during discussions.

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While the obvious issue of Pension reform went unresolved with the last General Assembly, Rose says they actually did a lot of good things, in particular, with the budget, and setting money aside to pay down their back log of bills. Unfortunately for the next General Assembly, that money that was put aside won't be available next year because of the expected jump in Pension payments.

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Rose says he would like to see Pension reform take place much like Medicaid reform took place. He would like to see representatives from both sides of the isle work things out and come up with a solution agreeable by both parties.

Re-elected Senate President John Cullerton has made Pension reform his number one priority for the 98th General Assembly. The Illinois Legislator will reconvene later this month.

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