Marriage equality: Gay households in Illinois will suffer from $42K in pension debt

Okay, yes, the headline is provocative. And it's meant to be. This afternoon the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill legalizing gay marriage--Governor Pat Quinn says he will sign it.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly has done nothing to address pension reform. The Land of Lincoln is burdened by $100 billion in unfunded pension debt. A so-called blue ribbon bi-partisan committee has been trying to find a solution to the crisis since July.

We are still waiting for that fix.

As for Quinn, he boasted 565 days ago that he was "put on earth" to solve the state's public pension system.

Yet Illinois pols have time and the will to address gay marriage.

In 2002, when the Chicago Democrat was elected lieutenant governor on the Rod Blagojevich ticket, Illinois had only $35 million in pension debt. The current pension debt divides up to $42,000 per household--including gay ones.

Ambiguously Gay Duo at the
Chicago Marathon

Illinois owes $9 billion to its vendors--some of those businesses are owned and operated by gays.

The state's deadbeat status contributes to another problem.

Illinois has the nation's second-highest unemployment rate--of course some of those jobless are gay.

Gay Illinoisans: maybe there isn't much for you to celebrate.

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