Cross, Rutherford eligible for generous pensions

Posted on January 14, 2015

Former House Minority Leader Tom Cross (left) is eligible for an $81,000 per year pension and former Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford is eligible for $115,000 per year. (WJBC file photo)

By Metro New Service

SPRINGFIELD – Former Illinois House GOP leader Tom Cross and former state treasurer Dan Rutherford may be looking for work after losing elections, but they will be able to pay the bills in the meantime thanks to their state pensions. 

Government watchdog group the Better Government Association reports that Cross is eligible for an $81,000 annual pension, while Rutherford will be able to collect a $115,000 pension. 

Neither man has applied to start taking his pension, but if they do, they would collect a total of about $5.6 million over the next 20 years, even though their contributions totaled less than $360,000. 

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