Lawmakers' pension perk scrapped; now they're like other state workers

SPRINGFIELD - State lawmakers voted Wednesday to wipe away a lucrative pension perk and instead have themselves treated like any other state employee.

"The members of the General Assembly should have very similar pension benefits as to what other state employees do. We shouldn't have a sweeter deal and this is one way of moving us in that direction," said state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, a Northbrook Democrat.

The legislation makes the basis for General Assembly and judicial pensions the average of the highest four years of salary out of their final 10 years of state employment. Currently lawmakers' pensions are based on their final salary.

The change cleared the House without opposition. In the Senate, only Quad-Cities Democrat Mike Jacobs voted against it. It now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn who has supported similar reforms.

The proposal comes in response to repeated instances of lawmakers taking temporary or short appointments to high-paying state jobs that greatly increase their pensions.

For example, in the waning days of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's tenure, he named downstate Democrat Kurt Granberg as director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Granberg was fired by Quinn after he was sworn in as governor following Blagojevich's ouster.

But Granberg's retirement checks will be based on his $133,000 director post as opposed to his nearly $86,000 legislative salary. According to an Associated Press analysis of state records, his pension has been projected at $113,000 annually rather than $73,000.

Many other lawmakers have benefited from similar moves throughout Illinois history.