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Some lawmakers have made tough votes

Some lawmakers have made tough votes

Taxpayers should be watching with great interest the ongoing work of the special committee of the Illinois General Assembly wrestling with the tough but essential issue of pension reform. While we are encouraged by early reports of the committee’s work, it does not dent the frustration of millions of Illinoisans who believe the time for reform was long, long ago.

However, taxpayers should also be well aware that a large number of Illinois legislators have already stood up for them by supporting strong pension reform legislation. They have taken the tough vote to restore economic sanity to the state’s finances by voting for meaningful bills. Unfortunately, too many of their colleagues to date have taken the easy way out and we are still awaiting passage of a reform bill.

House Speaker Michael Madigan; Senate President John Cullerton; Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno; House GOP Leader Tom Cross; Senators Noland, LaHood, Syverson, Cunningham, Steans, Van Pelt, Jacobs, Hastings, Harris, Harmon, Murphy, Oberweis, Connelly, Duffy, McConnaughay, Althoff, Dillard, Brady, Landek, Biss and Rezin; and Representatives Conroy, Crespo, Drury, Farnham, Kifowit, Moylan, Mussman, Nekritz, Sente, Willis, Yingling, Durkin, D. Harris, Hatcher, Ives, Kosel, McSweeney, Osmond, Sandack, Schmitz, Senger, Sullivan, Wheeler, Bellock, Demmer, Halbrook, Kay, Leitch, Sosnowski, Tracy and Roth all deserve immense credit for voting for real pension reform. They have voted for billions of dollars of savings for current taxpayers and future generations.

As our unemployment rate continues as the second highest in the nation, taxpayers are right to question our legislature’s ability to address the critical issues facing our state. But remember, many individual legislators have already stood up. They simply need more help.

Todd Maisch

Executive vice president

Illinois Chamber of Commerce

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