Public pensions take the spotlight in today’s discussion, featuringMayoral tutorial’s Don Washington and education blogger Fred Klonsky. At the urging of many activists and civic groups, the referendum issue on the state ballot last week that would have restricted the ability of legislative and policy bodies to increase public pensions and benefits – was defeated. Both our guests agree that the defeat was a good thing. But they emphasize that the battle over how to fund the gaping hole in the state’s public pensions has only just begun. Yesterday, Ty Fahner, writing for the Commercial Club of Chicago, said that the pension issue was “unfixable”, and he urged immediate, drastic cuts in pension benefits, increases in eligibility ages
