By Greg Halbleib
BLOOMINGTON – State Representative Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) says little by little, lawmakers are coming closer to compromising on funding for state pensions.
The Bloomington Republican said Springfield has moved from finger-pointing, and are as close to a solution as they have been in years on proper funding for pensions despite objections from several fronts.
“One of my own is that all five (pension) systems ought to be in this,” Brady told WJBC’s Sam Wood. “But it’s as close as we’ve come, and it’s been tried and tested in the Senate and it’s also something many believe will stand constitutional muster of dealing with the Supreme Court.”
Brady says it’s difficult to develop a plan because of the large number of people affected and the realization that someone will not like the final solution.
PODCAST: Listen here to Brady’s interview with WJBC’s Sam Wood.
On the issue of lawmaker pay, Brady said he did not join the lawsuit in which a Cook County judge said state lawmakers can be paid without a budget. Brady said sending state issues into the courts have complicated the process, referring to the time when lawmakers knew state workers would not be paid if a budget was not in place by a certain date.
“The motivation to compromise and sit down was there at that point in time,” Brady said. “Now we move to a point where decrees and orders from the court take the pressure off the legislature.”
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
