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Lake County Gazette

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Analysis: Lake Forest Firefighters Pension Fund would go broke in 18 years without taxpayer subsidy

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Without members and taxpayers subsidizing its revenue, Lake Forest Firefighters Pension Fund lost $1,875,446 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 $31,899,923 in total assets. If the funds annual losses were the same, it would run out of money in 18 years without these subsidies.

The fund earned $90,592 in investment income and other revenue in 2016. At the same time, it paid out $1,966,038 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 $1,216,585 to the funds revenue last year – an amount that has increased from $983,298 five years ago. Members contributed an additional $297,946 – $19,898 more than five years ago.

In all, subsidies amounted to $1,514,531 in 2016.

Lake Forest Firefighters Pension Fund non-subsidy revenue over five years
YearTotal non-subsidy revenueTotal expensesOutcome without subsidies
2016$90,592$1,966,038-$1,875,446
2015$1,901,072$1,803,206$97,866
2014$2,171,449$1,750,644$420,805
2013$2,245,883$1,567,465$678,418
2012$1,461,646$1,502,657-$41,011

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