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.
DeKalb County pensions spiking penalties, 2005-present
Rank
District
City
Members
Amount Assessed
Payments Made
Waivers Granted
Written-off
Current Balance
1
Dekalb Community Unit School District 428
DeKalb
89
$957,600.86
$351,921.25
$605,669.32
$10.29
2
Sandwich Community Unit School District 430
Sandwich
25
$80,492.48
$48,566.46
$31,918.35
$7.67
3
Sycamore Community Unit School District 427
Sycamore
16
$49,570.13
$38,388.79
$11,181.54
$(0.20)
4
Indian Creek School District 425
Shabbona
14
$36,994.64
$31,896.04
$5,076.04
$22.56
5
Somonauk Community Unit School District 432
Somonauk
9
$31,841.31
$31,837.98
$3.33
6
Genoa-Kingston CUSD 424
Genoa
21
$50,774.36
$28,137.50
$22,633.65
$3.21
7
Hiawatha Community Unit School District 426
Kirkland
10
$23,178.61
$23,177.38
$1.23
8
DeKalb County ROE
DeKalb
11
$71,842.90
$18,585.55
$53,255.54
$1.81
9
Hinckley-Big Rock Community Unit School District 429
Hinckley
7
$15,613.97
$15,613.97
10
Indian Valley Vocational Ctr
Sandwich
4
$1,336.65
$1,335.16
$1.49
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Sandwich Community Unit School District 430 Board• Indian Valley Vocational Ctr• Somonauk Community Unit School District 432• Hiawatha Community Unit School District 426• Sycamore Community Unit School District 427• Indian Creek Community Unit District 425• Hinckley-Big Rock Community Unit School District 429 Board• Dekalb County Roe• Dekalb Community Unit School District 428
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