Teacher pension debate moves to Lombard

Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois will hold a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in Lombard to discuss pension finances and pending legislation that could affect retirement benefits.

Teachers and community members are invited to the Center for Professional Learning, 1519 S. Grace St., where the pension system’s new executive director Dick Ingram will give a presentation and answer questions.

“We’ve been trying to invite the public as much as we have TRS members because there are a lot of people all over who have questions about pensions,” said Dave Urbanek, Teachers’ Retirement System spokesman.

Some questions arise from possible state legislation that could cap the amount of a teacher’s salary used to calculate pension benefits.

“We address the legislation and try to explain it as best we can,” Urbanek said. “We talk about how the state has over decades not lived up to its (financial) commitment and how that’s really the big problem that faces public pensions.”

The Lombard meeting is one of many town hall gatherings Teachers’ Retirement System has been holding across the state in April and May.