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Lake County Gazette

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Analysis: Newport Township FPD Firefighters Pension Fund would go bankrupt in 10 years without taxpayer subsidy

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Without members and taxpayers subsidizing its revenue, the Newport Township FPD Firefighters Pension Fund would have lost $126,183 in 2018, according to a Lake County Gazette analysis of the latest data reported to the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Division.

The fund has $1,157,538 in total assets. If the fund’s annual losses stay the same, it would run out of money in 10 years without these subsidies.

The fund earned $2,060 in investment income and other revenue in 2018. At the same time, it paid out $128,243 in expenses, according to the 2019 biennial report detailing the health of each of the state’s pension funds and retirement systems. The difference between the two shows the fund’s annual loss without subsidies.

Taxpayers added $76,705 to the fund’s revenue last year – an amount that has increased from $55,519 five years ago. Members contributed an additional $19,109 – $5,152 less than five years ago.

In all, subsidies amounted to $95,814 in 2018.

Newport Township FPD Firefighters Pension Fund non-subsidy revenue over five years
YearTotal non-subsidy revenueTotal expensesOutcome without subsidies
2018$2,060$128,243-$126,183
2017$17,583$20,567-$2,984
2016$29,045$14,645$14,400
2015$42,265$13,934$28,331
2014-$908$12,042-$12,950

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