Barrington voters backing pension question

Opponents' complaints that a referendum question was stacked in its wording didn't keep Barrington residents Tuesday from speaking strongly in favor of statewide pension reform for police officers and firefighters.

Voters answered yes by a ratio of better than 6 to 1 to the advisory question: "Shall the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor take immediate steps to implement meaningful pension reform which will relieve the unsustainable burden on local taxpayers?"

The unofficial total was 1,532 to 241.

The language was devised by Lake Forest officials, the only other town to put the question to voters. The referendum was opposed by pension fund advocates, such as the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association run by retired Barrington police officer James McNamee.

McNamee agreed that Illinois' pension system is flawed, but argued that it was disingenuous for municipal officials to throw before the public an issue too complex for most of them to understand.

He also said the referendum question was worded in a fashion stacked in favor of one position on the issue.

Barrington officials say their costs for police and fire pensions are rising without any recognition of all the other financial responsibilities a municipality bears.

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<li><a href="/news/politics/elections/2010/primary/race/?id=ref_cook County">More on Barrington pension reform referendum </a></li>

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