Vote 'Yes' to send message on pensions

Barrington residents should take full advantage of their opportunity to show their concern about the state of Illinois' system of public pensions by voting yes on the advisory question of whether the governor and General Assembly should take immediate steps to implement meaningful pension reform.

The question, put on the ballot by the village board, which copied a similar proposal in Lake Forest, has come under fire from public employees for a number of reasons, many of them legitimate.

They weren't given a chance to speak at the meeting where it was approved. They fear being made scapegoats for the system's shortcomings when it's the politicians and top government officials who in many cases have collected the biggest payouts while failing to adequately fund benefits they've approved. And the proposal is on the ballot in two of the towns that should be most able to fund such benefits.

At the same time, the system is in serious trouble, creating a dangerous situation for taxpayers and beneficiaries.

At the municipal level, in some communities the rising cost of funding police and fire pensions is the main factor behind rising property tax levies.

At the state level, underfunding has left the fund to back retirement benefits for state employees $80 billion short.

Public pensions have improved over the years even as guaranteed benefits in private sector pensions have become much rarer.

Reforming the system is likely to require some combination of higher funding, lower benefits and higher retirement ages, at least for new employees. Finding fair solutions that all can agree on won't be easy.

Voters need to use every chance they have to hold politicians' feet to the fire and compel them to find solutions.