IL Capitol graphic with voters supporting failure question above

ILLINOIS' PENSION CRISIS

July 28, 2025•3 min read

JB PRITZKER’S COVER-UP IS BLEEDING THE STATE DRY

Illinois is on the brink of financial disaster, and at the heart of it all stands Governor JB Pritzker.

Behind the smiling press conferences and carefully crafted talking points lies a harsh reality:

Illinois’ pension system is collapsing faster than any other in the nation, and Pritzker is doing everything he can to cover it up.

The latest nationwide analysis from the Equable Institute exposes what Illinoisans have feared for years – the state’s pension funds are the worst-funded in America, and the crisis is only deepening.

While other states take steps toward reform, Pritzker continues to push the problem down the road, gambling with the futures of retirees and taxpayers alike.

Dead Last in the Nation

The Equable Institute’s report paints a damning picture:

Illinois ranks dead last in pension funding for the second consecutive year.

It’s one of only four states with funding below 60%, with four of the ten worst-funded pension systems in the entire country.

The Illinois State Universities Retirement System recently joined the infamous list, dragging the state further into the red.

“Illinois pensions remain the most fiscally unstable in the nation, with no credible path to sustainability under current policies.”
– Equable Institute

Pritzker has tried to tout “investment gains” and “balanced budgets,” but the numbers tell a different story.

Even with higher-than-expected returns, Illinois pension debt grew by $1.5 billion in 2024.

That’s not progress – that’s failure disguised as success.

The Hidden Tax on Every Illinois Family

Illinois’ pension debt now eats up over 18% of the state’s GDP, the highest share in the country.

This crushing liability has exploded taxpayer contributions from $614 million in 1996 to $11.2 billion in 2025.

That’s not just numbers on a page – it’s why Illinois has the highest property taxes in the nation and why families are fleeing the state in record numbers.

“Illinois’ pension obligations are a slow-moving economic hurricane that will devastate taxpayers if not addressed now.”
– S&P Global Ratings

Every day Pritzker delays real reform, the hole gets deeper, and the people of Illinois pay the price.

A Crisis Pritzker Won’t Fix

Illinois has the tools to change course: preserving the cost-saving Tier 2 system, giving workers more retirement options, and pursuing constitutional reform to allow meaningful changes.

But Pritzker refuses. Instead, he clings to political talking points and outdated promises, terrified to challenge the public-sector unions that fuel his political machine.

“The refusal to confront pension reform is not governance – it’s cowardice dressed as compassion.”
– Civic Federation

This isn’t just mismanagement; it’s betrayal.

Pritzker is gambling with the livelihoods of retirees, the solvency of the state, and the future of every Illinois child.

The Cover-Up Can’t Last

The truth is out.

Illinoisans deserve better than a governor who hides behind excuses while the state crumbles beneath the weight of its own debt.

Every family, every retiree, every taxpayer has a stake in this fight.

The pension crisis isn’t just a budget issue – it’s a moral one.

“The longer Illinois delays reform, the more it risks the collapse of its pension systems and the financial ruin of its citizens.”
– Equable Institute