A 2005 law put the penalties in place to discourage districts from giving costly raises - any above 6 percent - that result in costlier pensions. While salaries are paid by districts, the state foots the bill for educators' retirement benefits.
Illinois penalizes districts for "pension spiking" by passing on the extra pension costs associated with hiking salaries in the years leading up to retirement.
Since 2005, the state has assessed more than $161 million in penalties, according to TRS data.
South Suburbs pensions spiking penalties, 2005-present
Rank
District
City
Members
Amount Assessed
Payments Made
Waivers Granted
Written-off
Current Balance
1
Rich Township High School District 227
Matteson
74
$480,210.23
$394,064.16
$73,023.69
$15.12
$13,107.26
2
West Harvey Dixmoor SD 147
Harvey
34
$318,495.24
$318,332.88
$6.87
3
Sauk Village CCSD 168
Sauk Village
28
$365,772.42
$314,188.89
$51,582.39
$1.14
4
Elementary SD 159
Matteson
34
$311,200.37
$311,200.37
5
Indian Springs School District 109
Justice
23
$301,343.22
$301,338.83
$4.39
6
Homewood-Flossmoor CHSD 233
Flossmoor
9
$243,735.75
$242,192.77
$1,542.98
7
Orland Park SD 135
Orland Park
63
$478,701.33
$232,724.28
$245,972.13
$4.92
8
Thornton Township High School District 205
South Holland
70
$835,805.65
$181,294.00
$654,327.76
$0.36
$183.53
9
Harvey School District 152
Harvey
58
$197,770.67
$160,802.59
$36,928.53
$39.55
10
Burbank School District 111
Burbank
34
$184,754.41
$155,638.71
$29,108.13
$7.57
11
Matteson Elementary School District 162
Richton Park
30
$155,178.20
$155,164.79
$13.41
12
Lansing School District 158
Lansing
21
$138,613.94
$138,611.04
$2.90
13
Thornton Fractional HSD 215
Lansing
32
$465,490.09
$135,718.43
$329,771.81
$(0.15)
14
Chicago Heights School District 170
Chicago Heights
47
$136,245.73
$133,425.18
$2,806.91
$13.64
15
Calumet Public School District 132
Calumet Park
17
$123,060.01
$123,059.88
$0.13
16
Country Club Hills School District 160
Country Club Hills
35
$322,677.18
$118,611.14
$141,712.00
$62,354.04
17
Bloom Township High School District 206
Chicago Heights
23
$340,172.40
$108,233.42
$231,938.30
$0.68
18
Prairie Hills ESD 144
Markham
23
$140,887.39
$105,237.57
$35,641.40
$8.42
19
Dolton School District 148
Riverdale
45
$210,383.00
$103,766.95
$106,616.05
20
Oak Lawn Hometown SD 123
Oak Lawn
45
$666,298.94
$93,513.69
$572,784.33
$0.92
21
Hazel Crest SD 152 5
Hazel Crest
13
$82,530.75
$82,530.75
22
Argo Community High School District 217
Summit
20
$82,491.70
$82,487.95
$3.75
23
Echo Joint Agreement
South Holland
45
$114,644.20
$78,727.58
$35,898.72
$17.90
24
Homewood School District 153
Homewood
32
$281,570.57
$78,233.45
$203,329.61
$7.51
25
Reavis Township High School District 220
Burbank
14
$83,055.05
$64,716.54
$18,331.51
$7.00
26
Ford Heights School District 169
Ford Heights
14
$56,076.03
$56,075.62
$0.41
27
Lemont-Bromberek CSD 113
Lemont
19
$160,808.25
$54,890.45
$105,910.36
$7.44
28
Dolton School District 149
Calumet City
19
$54,291.29
$54,154.33
$0.13
$136.83
29
Cook County School District 130
Blue Island
61
$44,463.64
$44,489.63
$(50.65)
$24.66
30
Kirby School District 140
Tinley Park
16
$43,413.29
$43,410.73
$2.56
31
Oak Lawn Community High School District 229
Oak Lawn
7
$65,876.49
$39,551.51
$26,324.98
32
Atwood Heights School District 125
Alsip
9
$194,346.23
$36,105.54
$158,240.69
33
Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124
Evergreen Park
33
$351,033.83
$35,872.63
$315,144.01
$17.19
34
Community Consoldated SD146
Tinley Park
33
$507,912.14
$32,139.52
$475,770.01
$2.61
35
Argo-Summit SD 104
Summit
13
$42,104.41
$26,318.91
$5.49
$15,770.01
36
Midlothian School District 143
Midlothian
17
$250,798.12
$24,478.56
$226,319.28
$0.28
37
SPEED
Chicago Heights
15
$23,627.35
$23,624.07
$3.28
38
Alsip-Hazelgreen-Oaklawn School District 126
Alsip
20
$33,972.38
$21,882.57
$12,086.80
$3.01
39
Community HSD 218
Oak Lawn
53
$391,837.91
$21,429.88
$367,646.72
$10.68
$2,750.63
40
Pleasantdale School District 107
Burr Ridge
7
$21,088.73
$21,087.96
$0.77
41
Park Forest School District 163
Park Forest
23
$33,334.85
$20,990.28
$6,740.95
$2.54
$5,601.08
42
Arbor Park School District 145
Oak Forest
18
$36,944.88
$19,974.74
$16,970.17
$(0.03)
43
Southwest Cook Coop Spec Educ
Oak Forest
16
$153,548.94
$19,315.88
$134,230.04
$3.02
44
Southland College Prep Charter
Richton Park
2
$17,997.71
$17,997.71
45
Lemont Township High School District 210
Lemont
20
$498,629.53
$17,907.94
$480,718.33
$3.26
46
South Holland School District 151
South Holland
14
$17,370.17
$17,361.18
$8.99
47
Willow Springs School District 108
Willow Springs
7
$32,880.07
$16,136.17
$16,743.45
$0.45
48
Palos Community Consolidated School District 118
Palos Park
11
$86,796.87
$14,189.53
$72,604.33
$3.01
49
General George Patton School District 133
Riverdale
4
$14,136.41
$14,135.78
50
Ridgeland School District 122
Oak Lawn
24
$168,618.28
$13,932.69
$154,685.21
$0.38
51
Brookwood School District 167
Glenwood
18
$157,701.09
$11,520.68
$146,178.14
$2.27
52
North Palos School District 117
Palos Hills
34
$84,101.21
$10,556.74
$73,514.51
$29.96
53
Hoover Schrum SD 157
Calumet City
12
$66,039.35
$10,156.55
$55,882.80
54
South Holland School District 150
South Holland
9
$38,164.06
$9,538.96
$28,624.82
$0.28
55
Sandridge School District 172
Chicago Heights
6
$52,640.42
$8,915.32
$43,725.10
56
AERO Special Educ Coop
Burbank
15
$153,151.04
$6,754.96
$146,387.97
$8.11
57
Palos Heights School District 128
Palos Heights
7
$6,312.43
$6,300.27
$12.16
58
Evergreen Park Community High School District 231
Evergreen Park
12
$40,147.24
$5,497.33
$34,643.65
$6.26
59
Forest Ridge School District 142
Oak Forest
16
$78,993.33
$5,326.41
$73,666.92
60
Lincoln Elementary School District 156
Calumet City
8
$4,448.47
$4,447.16
$1.31
61
Posen Robbins ESD 143 5
Posen
12
$56,434.18
$4,363.40
$52,059.45
$11.33
62
Flossmoor School District 161
Chicago Heights
15
$48,997.50
$4,146.08
$44,840.40
$11.02
63
Thornton School District 154
Thornton
5
$4,138.66
$4,138.06
$0.60
64
Worth School District 127
Worth
8
$31,933.46
$1,512.61
$30,418.49
$2.36
65
Eisenhower Cooperative
Crestwood
5
$1,449.40
$1,442.03
$7.37
66
Chicago Ridge SD 127 5
Chicago Ridge
12
$141,720.82
$1,389.72
$140,329.92
$1.18
67
Burnham SD 154 5
Burnham
2
$258.91
$258.91
68
Calumet City School District 155
Calumet City
11
$32.58
$29.40
$3.18
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Forest Ridge School District 142• Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District 157• Park Forest School District 163 Board• Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215• Palos Community Consolidated School District 118• Flossmoor School District 161 Board• Harvey School District 152 Board• Ridgeland School District 122• Ford Heights School District 169• Atwood Heights School District 125• Palos Heights School District 128 Board• Alsip, Hazelgreen, Oak Lawn School District 126• West Harvey-Dixmoor Public School District 147• Burnham School District 154-5• Hazel Crest School District 152-5• Chicago Heights School District 170• Sandridge School District 172• Dolton School District 148• Arbor Park School District 145• Pleasantdale School District 107 Board• Dolton School District 149• Calumet Public School District 132 Board• Community Consolidated School District 168• Oak Lawn Community High School District 229• Homewood School District 153• Burbank School District 111• Rich Township High School District 227• Speed• Aero Special Educ Coop• Elementary School District 159• Willow Springs School District 108• Cook County School District 104• Lincoln Elementary School District 156• Kirby School District 140 Board• Country Club Hills School District 160• Reavis Township High School District 220• Chicago Ridge School District 127-5• Brookwood School District 167• Bloom Township High School District 206 Board• Orland School District 135 Board• Thornton School District 154• General George Patton School District 133• Evergreen Park Community High School District 231• Echo Joint Agreement• Southwest Cook Coop Spec Educ• Midlothian School District 143• Thornton Township High School District 205• Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124• North Palos School District 117 Board• Prairie-Hills Elementary School District 144• Lemont Township High School District 210• Indian Springs School District 109 Board• Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 Board• Matteson Elementary School District 162 Board• Lansing School District 158 Board
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