CRYSTAL LAKE – A panel discussion on who should be responsible for paying for teacher pensions Tuesday night underscored the difficulty of fixing the state’s growing pension problem.

The conservative-leaning Illinois Policy Institute brought together a panel of speakers at McHenry County College to talk about legislation that would shift retirement costs from the state to local school districts that set teacher salaries.

The event was part of the institute’s statewide “Local Pension Accountability Tour,” which aims to help voters better understand issues, and touted the institute’s position on pension reform.