Special Legislative Session Costly For Taxpayers
By: Alex de Leon
Updated: July 31, 2012
Springfield - The General Assembly will meet in two weeks for a special session to deal with the state's pension crisis and it'll cost taxpayers more than $40,000.
It'll go to covering travel expenses, staffing, and per diems. Senate President John Cullerton has proposed calling for a regular session to cut costs. Lawmakers wouldn't be paid for their travel in that situation.
But, one watchdog group we talked to says $40,000 is nothing compared to the pension deficit. "There's obviously things that Senate President Cullerton and Speaker Madigan can do to try and bring down that cost" says Jonathan Ingram, a policy analyst. "But, really we're wasting millions and millions of dollars everyday we don't address this $203 billion problem."
Gov. Pat Quinn (D) originally wanted a solution to the pension problem by the start of Summer. The Senate passed a reform, but the House did not.
It'll go to covering travel expenses, staffing, and per diems. Senate President John Cullerton has proposed calling for a regular session to cut costs. Lawmakers wouldn't be paid for their travel in that situation.
But, one watchdog group we talked to says $40,000 is nothing compared to the pension deficit. "There's obviously things that Senate President Cullerton and Speaker Madigan can do to try and bring down that cost" says Jonathan Ingram, a policy analyst. "But, really we're wasting millions and millions of dollars everyday we don't address this $203 billion problem."
Gov. Pat Quinn (D) originally wanted a solution to the pension problem by the start of Summer. The Senate passed a reform, but the House did not.
