Illinois lawmakers will head back to Springfield next week to start the 2013 session with a huge pension liability hanging over their heads, and no real compromise on the table that would fix it.
Several proposals were bandied about last year, but none of them could pass both chambers and get to the Governor's desk. Democratic State Representative Brandon Phelps says compromise will be key.
"The unions know there's a problem. But I think the unions should be a part of this - the negotiations. I always said I don't want to vote for anything until they're brought to the table."
Republican State Senator Dave Luechtefeld says with so many interests a part of the pension systems, making sure things are done fairly and to the letter of the law is paramount:
"I do believe you have a constitutionality problem, unless there's some sort of negotiations with regard to the different parties involved."
Democratic State Representative John Bradley says something will have to be done - and soon. The $100-billion dollar liability means time - and money - are running out.
"You've got a billion dollar pension increase payment? Payment goes up a billion dollars on the pensions? To keep a balanced budget, right, if you've got to cut a billion out of operations that's 400-million out of education."
Phelps, Luechtefeld, and Bradley were all guests on WSIU InFocus.
