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CHICAGO–Retired state and county Illinois judges are enjoying some of the most lavish, gold-plated pensions of all Illinois government-pensioners, according to Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA). “Even while Springfield political leaders finally are discussing pension reform, judges’ million-dollar pensions are draining their state government-employee pension fund,” said Tobin.
Click here to view the top 100 pensions in the Judges Retirement System (JRS).
Tobias Barry, a retired Appellate Court Judge, tops TUA’s “Top 100” list of judges’ pensions with an annual pension of $186,764, which he supplements with another pension for his days in the Illinois General Assembly. Barry’s total-to-date pension payout is a hefty $1,749,400.
“Even the bottom pension of our Top 100 list is huge,” said Tobin. “Number 100 on the list, Michael Stuttley, receives an annual pension of $156,570.”
Number 2 on the Top 100 list is retired Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Moses Harrison II, who pulls in an annual pension of $182,009. So far, Harrison’s total-to-date pension payout is $1,507,589.
“Many of the retired judges literally are pension-millionaires,” said Tobin. “William Lewis has collected a staggering total-to-date pension payout of $2,014,760. Thomas Obrien has collected a huge total-to-date pension payout of $2,021,134.”
“These former ‘public servants’ make far more than most workers in the private sector and get million-dollar pensions as well.”
“Ending pensions for all new government hires will eventually eliminate unfunded government pensions,” said Tobin. “New government hires should plan for their own retirements by being placed in Social Security and 401(k) plans.”
“Furthermore, if each government employee were required to contribute an additional 10% toward his or her pension, taxpayers would save $150 billion over the next 35 years.”
This release is the fifth in a series. To see the previous four, see below:

By on May 29, 2012   /   Commentary, Latest