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West Cook News

Sunday, February 23, 2025

Analysis: Forest Park Firefighters Pension Fund would go bankrupt in 23 years without taxpayer subsidy

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Without members and taxpayers subsidizing its revenue, the Forest Park Firefighters Pension Fund would have lost $684,829 in 2018, according to a West Cook News analysis of the latest data reported to the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Division.

The fund has $15,299,918 in total assets. If the fund’s annual losses stay the same, it would run out of money in 23 years without these subsidies.

The fund earned $1,158,264 in investment income and other revenue in 2018. At the same time, it paid out $1,843,093 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 $782,007 to the fund’s revenue last year – an amount that has increased from $547,776 five years ago. Members contributed an additional $205,077 – $9,139 more than five years ago.

In all, subsidies amounted to $987,084 in 2018.

Forest Park Firefighters Pension Fund non-subsidy revenue over five years
YearTotal non-subsidy revenueTotal expensesOutcome without subsidies
2018$1,158,264$1,843,093-$684,829
2017$1,498,233$1,806,701-$308,468
2016-$260,227$1,633,773-$1,894,000
2015$1,013,984$1,548,241-$534,257
2014$2,095,255$1,472,346$622,909

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