{
  "author": {
    "name": "Christopher Wills",
    "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
    "description": "",
    "imageLarge": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f16d6fc2845f417ea0e93a3f2b6cd37d?s=136&d=mm&r=g",
    "estimate": 14,
    "social": [],
    "articles": [
      {
        "uri": "/2012/08/29/sp-lowers-illinois-credit-rating-over-pensions/",
        "title": "S&P lowers Illinois credit rating over pensions",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "August 29, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "2 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "Continuing pension problems and government gridlock earned Illinois another reduction in its credit rating Wednesday.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/06/21/illinois-ends-free-health-insurance-for-retirees/",
        "title": "Illinois ends free health insurance for retirees",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills, Associated Press",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "June 21, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "2 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills-associated-press/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills, Associated Press"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "More than 80,000 retired government employees will have to start paying for health insurance under legislation Gov. Pat Quinn signed Thursday, ending a major benefit that Illinois had promised to employees.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/06/19/pew-study-shows-ballooning-pension-shortfalls/",
        "title": "Pew study shows ballooning pension shortfalls",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "June 19, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "4 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "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.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/06/18/state-pension-shortfall-ballooned-in-2010/",
        "title": "State pension shortfall ballooned in 2010",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "June 18, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "4 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "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.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/06/01/pension-cuts-postponed-in-illinois-legislature/",
        "title": "Pension cuts postponed in Illinois legislature",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills and John O'Connor",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "June 01, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "5 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          },
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/john-oconnor/",
            "name": "John O'Connor"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "The governor and legislative leaders say they'll call lawmakers back to Springfield soon for another try at controlling pension costs that contribute to the state's deep budget problems.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/05/02/budget-dilemma-looms-for-illinois-democrats/",
        "title": "Budget dilemma looms for Illinois Democrats",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "May 02, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "1 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "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.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/03/30/illinois-house-approves-austere-spending-limits/",
        "title": "Illinois House approves austere spending limits",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "March 30, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "3 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "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.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/02/22/illinois-governors-speech-vague-on-big-budget-prob/",
        "title": "Illinois governor's speech vague on big budget problems",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "February 22, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "4 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "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.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2012/01/31/illinois-governor-looks-at-teacher-pensions-as-add/",
        "title": "Illinois governor looks at teacher pensions as address nears",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "January 31, 2012",
        "timeToRead": "4 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "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.",
        "body": null
      },
      {
        "uri": "/2011/08/17/ill-unions-to-protest-quinn-at-democratic-events/",
        "title": "Ill. unions to protest Quinn at Democratic events",
        "byline": "Christopher Wills",
        "kicker": "",
        "prettyDate": "August 17, 2011",
        "timeToRead": "4 minute",
        "image": {
          "uri": "",
          "width": "",
          "height": ""
        },
        "authors": [
          {
            "webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-wills/",
            "name": "Christopher Wills"
          }
        ],
        "kickerNode": [],
        "summary": "Policy disputes trumped party unity Wednesday as Illinois Democrats gathered for a perfunctory celebration of Governor's Day at the state fair.",
        "body": null
      }
    ]
  }
}