Not that it ever really did, but Illinois no longer has any excuse for not dealing with its pension crisis, given how Arizona has reformed its system. Arizona’s state constitutional pension protection clause was identical to Illinois’ in promising that “benefits shall not be diminished or impaired.” As in Illinois, its courts struck down, as violations of that clause, legislative reforms that would have reduced certain pension benefits.

But this month, Arizona voters passed Proposition 125 to amend the constitution to reduce benefits for two of its major pensions, covering corrections officers and elected officials. In 2016, voters passed Proposition 124 for an amendment to reduce pension benefits for police and firefighters.

he cost of six-week children’s summer camps run by the Chicago Park District is expected to increase about 8 percent next year, according to the district’s proposed budget for 2019 released Friday.

Residents can expect to pay an average of $292 for a six-week camp next year compared with last summer’s average of $270, according to the Park District. The overall proposed budget is $464 million, which the district says is less than a half-percent higher than the 2018 budget. The good news for taxpayers: There’s no proposal for a property tax increase. And the increase doesn’t seem to be scaring away Chicago families.

The McHenry City Council tentatively has decided to keep its property tax levy flat this year, and officials will hold a public hearing on the matter Dec. 3.

City Council members voted at a recent meeting to set the public hearing date to establish the property tax levy at $4.6 million. The hearing will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at the McHenry Municipal Center, 333 S. Green St.