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Future firefighters, police could see pensions reduced

SPRINGFIELD -- Yet-to-be hired suburban police officers and firefighters could be looking at fewer pension benefits when they retire under a plan moving through the General Assembly.

The Illinois House Tuesday approved legislation that would raise the retirement age for police and firefighters to 55 years old if they want a full pension, rather than 50. Other benefits would be cut back as well.

The pension reforms are being pushed hard by suburban mayors in particular, who have seen their local budgets crippled by the rising retirement costs of their public safety workers.

Addison Mayor Larry Hartwig was in Springfield lobbying lawmakers on the issues, saying the village's contribution to its police and firefighter pension funds have doubled in the last five years.

“It really is eating into the budget something fierce,” Hartwig said.

Roselle Mayor Gayle Smolinski said she's laid off two police officers because of the budget crunch, but has since hired one back.

“That money has to come out of the services we provide,” she said.

The Illinois House approved the pension changes by a 95-18 vote. It now moves to the Senate.

Among those voting “no” was state Rep. Paul Froehlich, a Schaumburg Democrat, who said officials should have been contributing more toward the retirement funds in order to avoid their current troubles. He said local officials shouldn't be asking lawmakers for help.

“I feel like the municipalities have scapegoated the legislature for the underfunding of their pensions,” Froehlich said. “I don't like being scapegoated.”

The plan would allow police officers and firefighters to retire at age 50, but only if they took diminished benefits.

The efforts to reform their pension systems comes as lawmakers earlier this year reduced pension benefits for other state employees, raising their retirement age as well.

How suburban lawmakers voted on pension reform