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Carbondale Reporter

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Analysis: Herrin Firefighters Pension Fund would go broke in 14 years without taxpayer subsidy

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Without members and taxpayers subsidizing its revenue, Herrin Firefighters Pension Fund lost $589,244 in 2016, according to a Carbondale Reporter analysis of the latest data reported to the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Division.

The fund has $7,676,062 in total assets. If the funds annual losses were the same, it would run out of money in 14 years without these subsidies.

The fund lost $111,145 in investment income and other revenue in 2016. At the same time, it paid out $478,099 in expenses, according to the 2017 biennial report detailing the health of each of the states pension funds and retirement systems. The difference between the two shows the funds annual loss without subsidies.

Taxpayers added $600,500 to the funds revenue last year – an amount that has increased from $479,000 five years ago. Members contributed an additional $98,776 – $12,983 more than five years ago.

In all, subsidies amounted to $699,276 in 2016.

Herrin Firefighters Pension Fund non-subsidy revenue over five years
YearTotal non-subsidy revenueTotal expensesOutcome without subsidies
2016-$111,145$478,099-$589,244
2015$491,516$452,240$39,276
2014$642,350$387,137$255,213
2013$404,140$373,425$30,715
2012$152,891$392,312-$239,421

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