Ralph Martire

Gov, J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Illinois General Assembly need to figure out how to better fund the state and city pension funds that are underfunded by nearly $200 billion, writes tax expert Ralph Martire.

The time has come for real solutions to Illinois and Chicago’s grossly underfunded pensions

The five state pension systems collectively have a staggering unfunded liability of $139 billion, and Chicago’s unfunded liability of $35.4 billion.

By Ralph Martire

People walk through the gate on Harvard Yard on June 29 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that race-conscious admission policies used by Harvard and the University of North Carolina violate the Constitution.

Other Views

With affirmative action gone, states have a duty to eliminate inequity in public schools

Illinois, for instance, has over-relied on local property taxes to fund K-12 education, effectively tying educational quality to local property wealth that is markedly lower in segregated Black communities.

By Ralph Martire

A student walks to his last day of school at Gale Community Academy in Rogers Park earlier this month.

Other Views

Illinois lawmakers did the right thing by not renewing Invest in Kids school choice program

if Illinois wants to get the best student achievement bang for its taxpayer buck, it should stop subsidizing the choice to send children to a private school.

By Ralph Martire

Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, speaks to reporters after a meeting with Gov. J.B. Prtizker on April 7.

Columnists

Mayor-elect Johnson faces fiscal cliff in general operating budget

Chicago’s fiscal challenges can’t be solved with smoke and mirrors

By Ralph Martire

Parents and students arrive at Willa Cather Elementary School, 2908 W. Washington Blvd. in East Garfield Park, for the first day of school for Chicago Public Schools, Monday morning, Aug. 22, 2022

Other Views

Illinois is funding ‘what works’ for public schools, but there’s still more to be done

The state’s ‘evidence-based formula,’ created in 2018 with bipartisan legislation, is sending more money to under-resourced schools, including some Downstate schools. But Illinois is behind schedule on providing the full funding the legislation calls for.

By Ralph Martire

Chicago’s pension funds have a big impact on the city’s budget and are severely underfunded, fiscal expert Ralph Martire writes.

Other Views

Chicago should be talking about its big pension problem

All four pension programs are vastly underfunded. There’s no meeting of minds around resolving the issue. But Chicagoans deserve to hear more about solutions as the municipal election approaches.

By Ralph Martire