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Senate fails to act on pension funding

By Kurt Erickson, The Southern Springfield Bureau

SPRINGFIELD - If Illinoisans were hoping things would change in the gridlocked Capitol after the election, Thursday's non-action in the Senate wasn't a good sign.

Just as they did in May, Democrats who control the upper chamber were unable to muster enough votes to give Gov. Pat Quinn the ability to borrow $3.8 billion to make this year's payment to the state's employee pension systems.

The lingering roadblock was reminiscent of what happened last spring, when the plan won narrow support in the House, but stalled in the Senate when Democrats insisted some Republicans vote in favor of the borrowing plan.

"It doesn't look like we have support. But we're not there yet," Cullerton said. "I'm just asking for Republicans to come around. They are not there yet."

Republicans, who picked up two seats in the chamber after Tuesday's balloting but remain in the minority, say no matter the outcome of the election they want Democrats to commit to additional savings in upcoming budgets as a way to start digging the state out of its huge budget hole.

"It's unfortunate we're here," Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said.

Quinn, who had asked Senate Democrats to schedule the post-election pension borrowing vote, didn't even show up in Springfield to lobby for the legislation. Rather, he stayed in Chicago and thanked voters for putting him ahead of Republican Bill Brady in unofficial returns.

Without the borrowing, the state doesn't have a plan to fund this year's pension obligation. That shortfall, combined with investment losses by the pension funds, has triggered a sell-off of some the retirement system assets in order to keep money flowing to state retirees.

Republicans said the cost of bringing lawmakers to Springfield on Thursday was about $30,000 - an unnecessary cost when the state's budget deficit is an estimated $13 billion.

"We don't have extra money to show up and say hello to everybody," Radogno said.