Pension lawsuit victors oppose quickened appeal

State workers behind a challenge to an Illinois pension law declared unconstitutional plan to oppose the government's attempt to have it speedily heard by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked the court last week to hasten its schedule for considering the case. She argues that the government needs a decision quickly because if it can't implement the law, it would have to find a way to make up about $1 billion it was supposed to save in the first year.

But the Lee Enterprises Newspapers' Springfield bureau reports (http://bit.ly/1yHPCyM) attorneys for the victorious employees see no reason to pick up the pace.

The law cuts retirement benefits and makes other changes to pensions to help erase a $100 billion deficit in five state pension systems.