Christopher Wills

• S&P lowers Illinois credit rating over pensions

  By Christopher Wills  |  August 29, 2012

  Continuing pension problems and government gridlock earned Illinois another reduction in its credit rating Wednesday.

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  Pew study shows ballooning pension shortfalls

  By Christopher Wills  |  June 19, 2012

  Recession-plagued states diverted scarce money away from pensions to pay for more immediate concerns, leaving a $757 billion hole in the retirement funds covering millions of public employees, according to a study released this week.

• State pension shortfall ballooned in 2010

  By Christopher Wills  |  June 18, 2012

  As the recession took its toll many states diverted scarce money away from pension plans to pay for more immediate concerns, and the amount of new costs states will owe the public retirement funds in the decades ahead ballooned to $757 billion, according to a study released Monday.

• Budget dilemma looms for Illinois Democrats

  By Christopher Wills  |  May 2, 2012

  The Democrats who run Illinois insist they're serious about controllingpension and health costs, even though it would mean opposing their own constituents and political allies in an election year.

• Illinois House approves austere spending limits

  By Christopher Wills  |  March 30, 2012

  Officials hope to find a way to slow the annual rise in state contributions to government pensions; a 20-percent-larger, $5.1-billion input is needed this year.

• Illinois governor's speech vague on big budget problems

  By Christopher Wills  |  February 22, 2012

  Quinn said decades of poor decisions have left the state's pension systems a mess, about $83 billion short of the money they'll need to pay out.

• Illinois governor looks at teacher pensions as address nears

  By Christopher Wills  |  January 31, 2012

  Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, responding to a dire new report on state finances Monday, said more clearly than ever that he wants schools and universities to help pay for their employees' retirement costs.

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  Ill. unions to protest Quinn at Democratic events

  By Christopher Wills  |  August 17, 2011

  Policy disputes trumped party unity Wednesday as Illinois Democrats gathered for a perfunctory celebration of Governor's Day at the state fair.

• Illinois governor plans to skip raises

  By Christopher Wills  |  July 1, 2011

  Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is proposing canceling raises for thousands of state employees to help cope with the state's budget crisis.

• Illinois lawmakers OK cash for debt, pension fund

  By Christopher Wills  |  April 15, 2011

  Illinois lawmakers set aside billions of dollars Friday to pay debts and pension costs, despite Republicans' arguments that it makes little sense to pass part of the state budget without a plan for the rest.