Op-Ed: Illinois’ teacher fund is still betting big while half-funded
On July 31, the board overseeing Illinois' largest teacher pension fund approved roughly $690 million, plus another €86 million (euros), in new commitments to...
Op-Ed: Wage growth and purchasing power: Which states lead the way?
Newly released data shows that two out of the top three states for average hourly wage growth in the nation are in our region....
Op-Ed: 42 years of warnings, six years to insolvency
In the 500 months – or 42 years – since Social Security’s trustees resumed warning of the program’s coming deficits, retirees have seen their...
Op-Ed: Remembering and teaching socialism’s ‘smaller’ failure
How has socialism, once widely viewed by Americans as a failed ideology, regained such new political appeal?
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Op-Ed: Chicago’s pension-funded ratio rose. Two rating agencies downgraded the city anyway
Chicago's four city pension funds closed 2025 with $14.20 billion in assets against $50.63 billion in liabilities, a funded ratio of 28.1%, up from...