In 2016, taxpayers in western Cook County, including La Grange Park, contributed over $94 million to fire and police pension funds.
In 2016, taxpayers in western Cook County, including La Grange Park, contributed over $94 million to fire and police pension funds.
Western Cook County’s 53 police and fire pension funds paid out a total of $97,778,122 in benefits to 1,894 retirees and inactive recipients in 2016 while losing $4,160,610 on their investments, according to a West Cook News analysis of the funds' mandated financial filings with the Illinois Department of Insurance.
West Cook News analyzed financials reported by firefighter and police funds across western Cook County, including Berwyn, Cicero, La Grange, Melrose Park and Oak Park. Collectively, the 53 funds hold approximately $950 million in assets and paid out $104 million more in 2016 than they earned, including $3,025,701 in fees to investment advisers, according to the filings.
$94 million from western Cook County property taxpayers
Western Cook County property taxpayers made up most of the difference, subsidizing the funds last year to the tune of $94,621,197.
Berwyn property taxpayers paid the most to pension funds, at $33.24 million in 2016. The city’s funds lost a total of $2.92 million, spending $322,461 on investment adviser fees.
Cicero property taxpayers contributed $7.99 million to their city’s funds, followed by Oak Park ($7,594,297), Melrose Park ($5,173,498) and Maywood ($3,725,155).
Twenty-eight of the 53 funds lost money in 2016, when the S&P 500 returned 12 percent.
Berwyn’s police officers’ fund lost $1.55 million on $62.09 million in assets (-2.51 percent) and paid out $4.39 million in benefits.
Berwyn’s firefighters’ fund lost $1.36 million on $37.79 million in assets (-3.60 percent) and paid out $4.31 million in benefits.
River Forest’s firefighters’ fund lost $791,239 on $15.28 million in assets (-5.18 percent) and paid out $1.38 million in benefits.
---
West Cook County Pensions: Investments and Benefits Paid
| Pension Fund | Total Benefits Paid | Investment Income | Investment Expenses | Difference |
| Bellwood Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,909,935 | $400,680 | $55,220 | -$1,564,476 |
| Bellwood Police Pension Fund | $2,345,163 | $151,444 | $50,117 | -$2,243,836 |
| Berkeley Police Pension Fund | $682,196 | $42,805 | $14,952 | -$654,343 |
| Berwyn Firefighters Pension Fund | $4,318,960 | -$1,362,250 | $126,277 | -$5,807,487 |
| Berwyn Police Pension Fund | $4,389,148 | -$1,557,607 | $196,184 | -$6,142,940 |
| Broadview Firefighters Pension Fund | $2,173,864 | -$423,786 | $38,435 | -$2,636,085 |
| Broadview Police Pension Fund | $1,956,069 | $284,267 | $62,037 | -$1,733,839 |
| Brookfield Firefighters Pension Fund | $876,632 | $266,309 | $55,606 | -$665,929 |
| Brookfield Police Pension Fund | $1,725,125 | -$21,481 | $55,192 | -$1,801,799 |
| Central Stickney FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Cicero Firefighters Pension Fund | $5,111,250 | -$258,059 | $131,571 | -$5,500,880 |
| Cicero Police Pension Fund | $5,539,948 | $47,066 | $152,343 | -$5,645,224 |
| Countryside FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,355,237 | -$224,991 | $117,256 | -$1,697,484 |
| Countryside Police Pension Fund | $1,504,655 | -$279,188 | $27,244 | -$1,811,087 |
| Elmwood Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,763,429 | -$114,763 | $22,749 | -$1,900,941 |
| Elmwood Park Police Pension Fund | $1,953,185 | -$314,344 | $92,590 | -$2,360,118 |
| Forest Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,607,085 | -$224,158 | $39,605 | -$1,870,848 |
| Forest Park Police Pension Fund | $1,722,513 | $480,532 | $180 | -$1,242,161 |
| Forest View Firefighters Pension Fund | $369,364 | $27,279 | $3,969 | -$346,055 |
| Forest View Police Pension Fund | $411,790 | -$79,836 | $6,391 | -$498,017 |
| Hillside Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,003,953 | -$90,149 | $39,689 | -$1,133,790 |
| Hillside Police Pension Fund | $1,595,979 | $223,339 | $66,166 | -$1,438,806 |
| Hodgkins Police Pension Fund | $939,495 | $99,029 | $52,217 | -$892,684 |
| La Grange Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,373,107 | -$65,835 | $52,484 | -$1,491,426 |
| La Grange Park Police Pension Fund | $1,167,361 | -$92,082 | $55,570 | -$1,315,012 |
| La Grange Police Pension Fund | $2,013,273 | $433,449 | $78,433 | -$1,658,258 |
| Leyden FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $868,040 | -$53,283 | $41,800 | -$963,124 |
| Lyons Firefighters Pension Fund | $56,662 | $7 | $0 | -$56,655 |
| Lyons Police Pension Fund | $1,608,811 | -$118,224 | $25,274 | -$1,752,309 |
| Maywood Firefighters Pension Fund | $2,193,912 | $81,331 | $24,822 | -$2,137,403 |
| Maywood Police Pension Fund | $2,654,659 | -$437,475 | $68,545 | -$3,160,679 |
| McCook Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | $555 | $0 | $555 |
| McCook Police Pension Fund | $712,730 | $109,028 | $41,934 | -$645,636 |
| Melrose Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $4,055,975 | $64,813 | $28,640 | -$4,019,802 |
| Melrose Park Police Pension Fund | $3,182,525 | -$3,902 | $47,507 | -$3,233,934 |
| North Riverside Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,005,208 | $106,096 | $18,747 | -$917,859 |
| North Riverside Police Pension Fund | $1,728,605 | -$162,740 | $63,582 | -$1,954,928 |
| Northlake FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $849,266 | $51,241 | $53,337 | -$851,362 |
| Northlake Police Pension Fund | $1,217,507 | $731,137 | $43,539 | -$529,909 |
| Oak Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $5,981,707 | $368,977 | $82,182 | -$5,694,912 |
| Oak Park Police Pension Fund | $7,094,339 | -$292,736 | $272,185 | -$7,659,260 |
| River Forest Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,382,009 | -$791,239 | $60,449 | -$2,233,697 |
| River Forest Police Pension Fund | $2,060,036 | -$133,789 | $30,289 | -$2,224,114 |
| River Grove Police Pension Fund | $1,088,443 | $70,406 | $17,833 | -$1,035,870 |
| Riverside Police Pension Fund | $1,095,380 | -$54,407 | $70,156 | -$1,219,943 |
| Schiller Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,147,701 | -$35,008 | $90,531 | -$1,273,240 |
| Schiller Park Police Pension Fund | $1,627,533 | -$343,576 | $106,327 | $528,038 |
| Stickney Police Pension Fund | $849,146 | -$221,249 | $15,232 | -$1,085,627 |
| Stone Park Police Pension Fund | $767,183 | -$6,709 | $0 | -$773,892 |
| Westchester Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,410,583 | -$202,680 | $63,978 | -$1,677,241 |
| Westchester Police Pension Fund | $2,040,864 | -$276,127 | $89,878 | -$2,406,868 |
| Western Springs Firefighters Pension Fund | $21,148 | $1,432 | $0 | -$19,716 |
| Western Springs Police Pension Fund | $1,269,432 | $39,841 | $76,458 | -$1,306,049 |
| TOTAL | $97,778,122 | -$4,160,610 | $3,025,701 | -$104,964,433 |
West Cook County Pensions: Recipients and Funding
| Pension Fund | Total Benefits Paid | Retirees/Inactive Recipients* | Active Employees | Taxpayer Subsidies | Member Contributons |
| Bellwood Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,909,935 | 31 | 24 | $905,132 | $188,782 |
| Bellwood Police Pension Fund | $2,345,163 | 41 | 35 | $1,324,096 | $280,797 |
| Berkeley Police Pension Fund | $682,196 | 14 | 14 | $419,103 | $126,841 |
| Berwyn Firefighters Pension Fund | $4,318,960 | 77 | 81 | $16,498,436 | $664,862 |
| Berwyn Police Pension Fund | $4,389,148 | 74 | 109 | $16,745,210 | $956,689 |
| Broadview Firefighters Pension Fund | $2,173,864 | 44 | 25 | $1,387,146 | $189,071 |
| Broadview Police Pension Fund | $1,956,069 | 33 | 28 | $1,143,219 | $255,331 |
| Brookfield Firefighters Pension Fund | $876,632 | 23 | 24 | $864,042 | $242,773 |
| Brookfield Police Pension Fund | $1,725,125 | 30 | 30 | $1,413,761 | $273,003 |
| Central Stickney FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | 1 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Cicero Firefighters Pension Fund | $5,111,250 | 94 | 78 | $3,409,367 | $633,957 |
| Cicero Police Pension Fund | $5,539,948 | 128 | 152 | $4,581,844 | $1,510,420 |
| Countryside FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,355,237 | 22 | 32 | $1,004,370 | $316,318 |
| Countryside Police Pension Fund | $1,504,655 | 21 | 23 | $914,574 | $187,505 |
| Elmwood Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,763,429 | 28 | 25 | $1,156,262 | $217,439 |
| Elmwood Park Police Pension Fund | $1,953,185 | 36 | 36 | $1,531,210 | $319,991 |
| Forest Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,607,085 | 29 | 23 | $683,363 | $198,332 |
| Forest Park Police Pension Fund | $1,722,513 | 36 | 36 | $860,422 | $319,101 |
| Forest View Firefighters Pension Fund | $369,364 | 12 | 4 | $281,211 | $9,526 |
| Forest View Police Pension Fund | $411,790 | 11 | 8 | $464,077 | $55,888 |
| Hillside Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,003,953 | 19 | 20 | $830,329 | $203,576 |
| Hillside Police Pension Fund | $1,595,979 | 34 | 25 | $1,271,953 | $249,705 |
| Hodgkins Police Pension Fund | $939,495 | 11 | 20 | $1,076,729 | $207,003 |
| La Grange Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,373,107 | 28 | 19 | $1,097,454 | $160,338 |
| La Grange Park Police Pension Fund | $1,167,361 | 22 | 21 | $803,853 | $187,661 |
| La Grange Police Pension Fund | $2,013,273 | 37 | 26 | $1,149,050 | $213,505 |
| Leyden FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $868,040 | 13 | 13 | $500,883 | $99,385 |
| Lyons Firefighters Pension Fund | $56,662 | 1 | 0 | $57,152 | $0 |
| Lyons Police Pension Fund | $1,608,811 | 26 | 14 | $496,493 | $127,995 |
| Maywood Firefighters Pension Fund | $2,193,912 | 61 | 37 | $1,714,203 | $301,818 |
| Maywood Police Pension Fund | $2,654,659 | 76 | 54 | $2,010,952 | $410,678 |
| McCook Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | 0 | 1 | $90,000 | $9,866 |
| McCook Police Pension Fund | $712,730 | 17 | 17 | $700,000 | $153,687 |
| Melrose Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $4,055,975 | 70 | 64 | $2,828,716 | $496,897 |
| Melrose Park Police Pension Fund | $3,182,525 | 58 | 76 | $2,344,782 | $606,618 |
| North Riverside Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,005,208 | 17 | 16 | $879,775 | $121,473 |
| North Riverside Police Pension Fund | $1,728,605 | 33 | 27 | $1,192,086 | $240,847 |
| Northlake FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $849,266 | 18 | 17 | $574,226 | $130,132 |
| Northlake Police Pension Fund | $1,217,507 | 30 | 41 | $1,105,794 | $348,317 |
| Oak Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $5,981,707 | 115 | 61 | $3,473,103 | $547,100 |
| Oak Park Police Pension Fund | $7,094,339 | 147 | 113 | $4,121,194 | $1,019,683 |
| River Forest Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,382,009 | 23 | 21 | $946,756 | $184,123 |
| River Forest Police Pension Fund | $2,060,036 | 39 | 28 | $1,130,516 | $258,151 |
| River Grove Police Pension Fund | $1,088,443 | 20 | 23 | $1,115,353 | $190,944 |
| Riverside Police Pension Fund | $1,095,380 | 21 | 19 | $737,331 | $181,145 |
| Schiller Park Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,147,701 | 30 | 25 | $1,091,332 | $212,580 |
| Schiller Park Police Pension Fund | $1,627,533 | 29 | 33 | $1,427,405 | $290,790 |
| Stickney Police Pension Fund | $849,146 | 19 | 16 | $624,450 | $129,722 |
| Stone Park Police Pension Fund | $767,183 | 13 | 15 | $740,725 | $78,283 |
| Westchester Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,410,583 | 26 | 29 | $1,027,335 | $217,769 |
| Westchester Police Pension Fund | $2,040,864 | 31 | 30 | $996,315 | $257,642 |
| Western Springs Firefighters Pension Fund | $21,148 | 2 | 0 | $11,742 | $0 |
| Western Springs Police Pension Fund | $1,269,432 | 23 | 18 | $866,366 | $243,375 |
| TOTAL | $97,778,122 | 1,894 | 1,726 | $94,621,197 | $15,027,434 |
*Retirees/Inactive Recipients, Active Members as of 2014.
Editor's Note: In a previous version of this article, West Cook News reported incorrect numbers for the Schiller Park Police Pension Fund. The article has been updated to reflect the accurate numbers.
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
!RECEIVE ALERTS
DONATE
Alerts Sign-up