Last-minute input
State Rep. David Harris, an Arlington Heights Republican, has invited school officials from districts he represents (and will represent under a new political map) to a meeting Saturday to talk about the possibility of changes to teachers' retirement benefits.
Specifically, Harris said, he'll talk with the officials about plans to have the districts pay more for future teachers' pensions.
The meeting comes as lawmakers are set to meet again Jan. 2 for a potential last-ditch effort to deal with the state's rising retirement costs.
But top Democrats have scaled back the days the House and Senate are scheduled to meet before a new class of lawmakers is sworn in, making any pension compromise - if one is to crop up - very difficult to approve before all legislation resets on Jan. 9.
If lawmakers do nothing, their next budget deadline is May 31, so the pension debate would almost certainly continue for at least five more months.
