Article updated: 1/24/2013 8:05 AM

Some suburban lawmakers forgo pensions

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Melinda Bush

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Tom Cullerton

David McSweeney

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As the state's retirement debt grows, several suburban lawmakers have opted out of taking out a pension. Of the 177 lawmakers that make up the Illinois General Assembly, 23 have chosen to forgo their pensions. Of those, 14 are freshmen. “This is a freshman class that ran for office in very difficult financial times,” said State Sen. Melinda Bush, a freshman Democrat from Grayslake who is declining a pension.