Naperville voters get voice on pension reform

Naperville officials are hoping to get residents on board with their push for state lawmakers to reform the police and fire pension system.

Councilmen on Tuesday agreed to put an advisory referendum on the Nov. 2 ballot asking voters if they want such reform. They said the current system is not sustainable.

"We certainly are not picking on our police officers or firefighters," City Manager Doug Krieger said. "What we are picking on is the one area of our budget where we have seen the most significant increase and in this time of shrinking revenues that's really the ... focus."

Naperville's required contributions for firefighter pensions increased about $1.4 million or 42.1 percent over the past two years while its required contribution for police during that time increased about $1.5 million or 46.8 percent.

The city attributes the increases to investment losses, wage increases and benefit increases mandated by law.

Police and firefighters are on a pension system that provides guaranteed benefits. In Naperville, they contribute slightly less than 10 percent of their salary to their pension and are eligible for a maximum of 75 percent of their salary if they reach 30 years of service.

In a recent letter to the council, Naperville Police Pension Fund President Donald Bisch said municipalities got themselves into trouble with the way they fund the pensions and it's not the fault of public safety officers. He also said reforms are not likely to significantly reduce the amount the city owes.

Councilman Grant Wehrli on Tuesday said he was disappointed by the pension group's "complete and total lack of understanding of the world which we now live in."

Councilmen voted 6-2 in favor of the referendum proposal. Mayor George Pradel, Judy Brodhead, Richard Furstenau, Doug Krause, Kenn Miller and Wehrli voted "yes" while Bob Fieseler and Paul Hinterlong voted "no."

The referendum question will ask voters if they want state lawmakers to reform the police and fire pension system to reduce the future funding obligation now that they have already reformed the system for other public employees.

Those reforms, which some councilmen would like to see implemented for police and firefighters too, include caps on final average salary calculations, reduced cost of living adjustments and increased retirement age.

The question would be an advisory referendum, meaning it does not change any laws. Officials hope a show of support by residents will encourage state lawmakers to take action.

Fieseler voted against the proposal, saying he would like to see more specific language about the reforms on the ballot question and Hinterlong said the language on the question appears to be a "war against our public safety."

The issue will appear on the Nov 2. ballot along with a referendum question asking Naperville voters if they support term limits for their councilmen and mayor.