Quantcast

Lake County Gazette

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Analysis: Zion Firefighters Pension Fund would go broke in 10 years without taxpayer subsidy

Shutterstock 385535740

Without members and taxpayers subsidizing its revenue, Zion Firefighters Pension Fund lost $1,627,742 in 2016, according to a Lake County Gazette analysis of the latest data reported to the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Division.

The fund has $14,957,540 in total assets. If the funds annual losses were the same, it would run out of money in 10 years without these subsidies.

The fund lost $269,525 in investment income and other revenue in 2016. At the same time, it paid out $1,358,217 in expenses, according to the 2017 biennial report detailing the health of each of the states pension funds and retirement systems. The difference between the two shows the funds annual loss without subsidies.

Taxpayers added $932,135 to the funds revenue last year – an amount that has increased from $753,351 five years ago. Members contributed an additional $236,113 – $57,587 more than five years ago.

In all, subsidies amounted to $1,168,248 in 2016.

Zion Firefighters Pension Fund non-subsidy revenue over five years
YearTotal non-subsidy revenueTotal expensesOutcome without subsidies
2016-$269,525$1,358,217-$1,627,742
2015$949,599$1,272,480-$322,881
2014$937,612$1,195,346-$257,734
2013-$47,515$1,173,140-$1,220,655
2012$552,823$1,152,407-$599,584

MORE NEWS