Title
RESOLUTION INITIATING THE SUBMISSION OF A PUBLIC QUESTION TO SUPPORT REGIONAL ACTIONS TO ATTAIN LONG-TERM PENSION SUSTAINABILITY
Body
WHEREAS, preserving the public safety, health and welfare of its citizens is a critical priority and of paramount concern of the Village of Orland Park; and
WHEREAS, the Village of Orland Park, like many communities across the State of Illinois, has been experiencing an exponential increase in required contributions to fund the pension of eligible municipal employees; and
WHEREAS, the actuarially determined contribution for the Village of Orland Park Police Pension Fund has increased by $577,217 or 50.21 percent from the 2007 tax levy to the 2009 tax levy; the 2009 tax levy equaling approximately $1,727,000 or 22.87 percent of salary per plan member; and
WHEREAS, a combination of factors including legislatively-mandated pension benefit increases, investment losses, cumulative wage increases and others have contributed to this situation; and
WHEREAS, these steadily escalating pension costs have created a fiscal crisis that is consuming an ever increasing portion of the Village of Orland Park’s municipal budget and threatens the long-term sustainability of the pension fund and the continuation of existing levels of public safety services; and
WHEREAS, while the Village of Orland Park recognizes that offering a quality pension program is vital for the recruitment and retention of quality public employees, it also recognizes that increasing public safety pension costs place local pension funds in financial jeopardy; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly reformed the pension systems for all public employees in the spring 2010 session with the exception of police officers, firefighters and sheriffs; and
WHEREAS, without both immediate and long-term legislative relief from these escalating pension costs, the Village of Orland Park and many other communities across the state are faced with complex choices, including budget cuts that reduce or eliminate vital services; compromise public safety service levels; defer critical infrastructure maintenance and repairs; and/or increase the burden on local taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, because Article XIII, Section 5 of the Illinois Constitution does not allow earned pension benefits to be diminished or impaired, the General Assembly must exercise extreme care in any pension enhancements that may cripple governments' ability to fund both pension and other essential operations, especially in times of economic hardship.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY the Village of Orland Park, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1
The foregoing recitals are by this reference incorporated into and made a part of the resolution as if fully set forth.
SECTION 2
A public question shall be submitted to the voters of the Village of Orland Park, (Cook and Will County), State of Illinois, at the November 2, 2010 general election (or at the next available election permitted by the general election law) as follows:
Shall the Illinois General Assembly and Governor take immediate steps to implement meaningful public safety pension reform which will relieve the extensive burden on local taxpayers now that the General Assembly and Governor have reformed the pension systems for all other public employees?
Yes □ No □
SECTION 3
The Village Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to publish this authorizing resolution within ten days after passage in a newspaper of general circulation within the Village and to file this authorizing resolution or other related matters with the appropriate election officials in accordance with applicable law.
SECTION 4
This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval, and publication in the manner provided by law.