In 2016, Belleville's firefighters' pension fund paid out over $3 million in benefits and lost $283K from investments.
In 2016, Belleville's firefighters' pension fund paid out over $3 million in benefits and lost $283K from investments.
Metro East’s 43 police and fire pension funds paid out a total of $39,423,550 in benefits to 965 retirees and inactive recipients in 2016 while losing $3,907,865 on their investments, according to a Metro East Sun analysis of the funds' mandated financial filings with the Illinois Department of Insurance.
The Sun analyzed financials reported by firefighter and police funds across the region, including Alton, Belleville, Collinsville, East St. Louis and Granite City. Collectively, the 43 funds hold approximately $387 million in assets and paid out $44,337,165 more in 2016 than they earned, including $1,005,750 in fees to investment advisers, according to the filings.
$28 million from Metro East property taxpayers
Metro East property taxpayers made up most of the difference, subsidizing the funds last year to the tune of $28,281,784.
Alton property taxpayers paid the most to pension funds, at $6.04 million in 2016. The cities’ two funds lost a combined $973,252, spending $98,288 on investment adviser fees.
Belleville taxpayers contributed $5.22 million to their city’s two funds, followed by Granite City ($2,644,631), Collinsville ($1,937,883), and Edwardsville ($1,635,001).
Twenty-one Metro East funds lost money in 2016, when the S&P 500 returned 12 percent.
Belleville’s police officers’ fund lost $771,560 on $35.55 million in assets (-2.17 percent) and paid out $3.15 million in benefits.
O’Fallon’s police officers’ fund lost $424,258 on $24.36 million in assets (-1.67 percent) and paid out $1.03 million in benefits.
Granite City’s police officers’ fund lost $366,163 on $17.27 million in assets (-2.12 percent) and paid out $2.24 million in benefits.
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Metro East Pensions: Investments and Benefits Paid
| Pension Fund | Total Benefits Paid | Investment Income | Investment Expenses | Difference |
| Alton Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,688,228 | -$458,450 | $48,153 | -$4,194,830 |
| Alton Police Pension Fund | $3,561,440 | -$514,802 | $50,135 | -$4,126,377 |
| Belleville Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,154,634 | -$283,641 | $88,983 | -$3,527,258 |
| Belleville Police Pension Fund | $3,153,346 | -$771,560 | $37,447 | -$3,962,353 |
| Bethalto Police Pension Fund | $421,867 | -$70,662 | $18,200 | -$510,729 |
| Cahokia Police Pension Fund | $1,267,937 | -$12,175 | $16,781 | -$1,296,893 |
| Caseyville Police Pension Fund | $180,193 | $13,372 | $5,839 | -$172,660 |
| Centreville Police Pension Fund | $179,448 | -$5,577 | $10,357 | -$195,383 |
| Collinsville Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,390,589 | -$312,631 | $42,788 | -$1,746,008 |
| Collinsville Police Pension Fund | $1,514,473 | $628,360 | $111,410 | -$997,523 |
| Columbia Police Pension Fund | $321,976 | -$72,091 | $16,755 | -$410,822 |
| East Alton Firefighters Pension Fund | $210,150 | $1,500 | $6,907 | -$215,558 |
| East Alton Police Pension Fund | $316,675 | -$47,099 | $9,568 | -$373,342 |
| East St. Louis Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,491,544 | -$55,580 | $79,791 | -$3,626,914 |
| East St. Louis Police Pension Fund | $2,737,027 | -$187,357 | $96,707 | -$3,021,092 |
| Edwardsville Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,018,003 | -$202,659 | $26,463 | -$1,247,124 |
| Edwardsville Police Pension Fund | $932,624 | -$288,638 | $34,966 | -$1,256,229 |
| Glen Carbon Police Pension Fund | $147,509 | -$67,664 | $12,650 | -$227,823 |
| Godfrey Paid Firefighters Pension Fund | $451,391 | -$5,644 | $18,293 | -$475,328 |
| Granite City Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,197,248 | -$133,597 | $55,873 | -$3,386,718 |
| Granite City Police Pension Fund | $2,244,272 | -$366,163 | $27,406 | -$2,637,841 |
| Highland Police Pension Fund | $661,861 | -$56,859 | $6,437 | -$725,157 |
| Jerseyville Firefighter's Pension Fund | $0 | $5,365 | $36 | $5,329 |
| Jerseyville Police Pension Fund | $552,901 | -$20,517 | $0 | -$573,418 |
| Madison Police Pension Fund | $406,944 | $14,209 | $7,982 | -$400,717 |
| Maryville Firefighter's Pension Fund | $0 | $8,133 | $2,589 | $5,544 |
| Maryville Police Pension Fund | $118,008 | $18,582 | $8,366 | -$107,792 |
| Mascoutah Police Pension Fund | $114,379 | -$52,700 | $14,980 | -$182,059 |
| Newport Township FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | $33,263 | $4,218 | $29,045 |
| Northwest St Clair County FPD Firefighters Pension | $24,727 | $8,038 | $2,576 | -$19,265 |
| O'Fallon Police Pension Fund | $1,036,894 | -$424,258 | $24,202 | -$1,485,354 |
| Pontoon Beach Police Pension Fund | $395,245 | -$17,554 | $8,729 | -$421,528 |
| Shiloh Police Pension Fund | $38,681 | -$49,105 | $13,691 | -$101,476 |
| Signal Hill FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | $4,917 | $2,360 | $2,557 |
| Swansea Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | $1,444 | $0 | $1,444 |
| Swansea Police Pension Fund | $508,188 | $76,620 | $0 | -$431,568 |
| Troy FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | $28,318 | $6,467 | $21,851 |
| Troy Police Pension Fund | $302,859 | -$94,145 | $20,917 | -$417,921 |
| Venice Police Pension Fund | $144,938 | $575 | $0 | -$144,363 |
| Washington Park Police Pension Fund | $204,534 | $10,488 | $7,321 | -$201,368 |
| Waterloo Police Pension Fund | $207,093 | -$29,177 | $15,350 | -$251,620 |
| Wood River Firefighters Pension Fund | $414,806 | -$49,926 | $18,268 | -$483,000 |
| Wood River Police Pension Fund | $710,916 | -$110,819 | $25,788 | -$847,523 |
| TOTAL | $39,423,550 | -$3,907,865 | $1,005,750 | -$44,337,165 |
Metro East Pensions: Recipients and Funding
| Pension Fund | Total Benefits Paid | Retirees/Inactive Recipients* | Active Employees | Taxpayer Subsidies | Member Contributions |
| Alton Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,688,228 | 88 | 47 | $2,970,632 | $283,978 |
| Alton Police Pension Fund | $3,561,440 | 70 | 60 | $3,069,684 | $419,745 |
| Belleville Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,154,634 | 67 | 61 | $2,832,970 | $422,345 |
| Belleville Police Pension Fund | $3,153,346 | 67 | 84 | $2,388,327 | $595,180 |
| Bethalto Police Pension Fund | $421,867 | 10 | 15 | $367,739 | $90,086 |
| Cahokia Police Pension Fund | $1,267,937 | 27 | 33 | $593,042 | $278,467 |
| Caseyville Police Pension Fund | $180,193 | 9 | 10 | $203,873 | $64,126 |
| Centreville Police Pension Fund | $179,448 | 13 | 8 | $111,309 | $34,173 |
| Collinsville Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,390,589 | 30 | 32 | $744,015 | $234,908 |
| Collinsville Police Pension Fund | $1,514,473 | 38 | 40 | $1,193,868 | $317,580 |
| Columbia Police Pension Fund | $321,976 | 11 | 15 | $350,251 | $99,799 |
| East Alton Firefighters Pension Fund | $210,150 | 8 | 7 | $160,072 | $42,546 |
| East Alton Police Pension Fund | $316,675 | 13 | 11 | $181,988 | $63,207 |
| East St. Louis Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,491,544 | 92 | 51 | $778,328 | $336,409 |
| East St. Louis Police Pension Fund | $2,737,027 | 78 | 57 | $654,575 | $383,192 |
| Edwardsville Firefighters Pension Fund | $1,018,003 | 22 | 26 | $714,809 | $193,989 |
| Edwardsville Police Pension Fund | $932,624 | 21 | 41 | $920,192 | $328,541 |
| Glen Carbon Police Pension Fund | $147,509 | 7 | 19 | $359,755 | $141,425 |
| Godfrey Paid Firefighters Pension Fund | $451,391 | 14 | 18 | $339,731 | $121,848 |
| Granite City Firefighters Pension Fund | $3,197,248 | 73 | 55 | $1,322,316 | $362,071 |
| Granite City Police Pension Fund | $2,244,272 | 54 | 58 | $1,322,316 | $402,882 |
| Highland Police Pension Fund | $661,861 | 13 | 20 | $432,136 | $158,168 |
| Jerseyville Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | 0 | 1 | $29,932 | $7,408 |
| Jerseyville Police Pension Fund | $552,901 | 15 | 16 | $506,171 | $89,791 |
| Madison Police Pension Fund | $406,944 | 16 | 12 | $343,478 | $65,659 |
| Maryville Firefighter's Pension Fund | $0 | 0 | 3 | $95,265 | $19,638 |
| Maryville Police Pension Fund | $118,008 | 4 | 12 | $350,036 | $82,102 |
| Mascoutah Police Pension Fund | $114,379 | 4 | 12 | $264,929 | $82,182 |
| Newport Township FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | 1 | 4 | $50,087 | $23,486 |
| Northwest St Clair County FPD Firefighters Pension | $24,727 | 0 | 1 | $34,425 | $5,742 |
| O'Fallon Police Pension Fund | $1,036,894 | 22 | 46 | $1,106,081 | $333,079 |
| Pontoon Beach Police Pension Fund | $395,245 | 7 | 14 | $355,241 | $87,472 |
| Shiloh Police Pension Fund | $38,681 | 1 | 17 | $361,475 | $120,390 |
| Signal Hill FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | 0 | 1 | $24,937 | $6,577 |
| Swansea Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | 0 | 2 | $73,886 | $11,461 |
| Swansea Police Pension Fund | $508,188 | 8 | 20 | $816,678 | $158,915 |
| Troy FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | $0 | 1 | 11 | $175,950 | $77,719 |
| Troy Police Pension Fund | $302,859 | 7 | 18 | $296,543 | $121,337 |
| Venice Police Pension Fund | $144,938 | 13 | 9 | $110,422 | $20,827 |
| Washington Park Police Pension Fund | $204,534 | 8 | 3 | $60,041 | $491 |
| Waterloo Police Pension Fund | $207,093 | 6 | 15 | $441,000 | $96,824 |
| Wood River Firefighters Pension Fund | $414,806 | 11 | 10 | $297,756 | $63,298 |
| Wood River Police Pension Fund | $710,916 | 16 | 18 | $475,526 | $132,902 |
| TOTAL | $39,423,550 | 965 | 1,013 | $28,281,784 | $6,981,967 |
*Retirees/Inactive Recipients, Active Employees as of 2014.
Note: Recipients of O'Fallon FPD and Washington Park FPD Firefighters' pension funds were not provided.
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