SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — The state treasurer is concerned about Illinois’ financial condition, and he is thinking about running for governor.

“I believe that if you are a retiree, your pension benefit is what you get. That’s what you deserve,” Dan Rutherford told reporters before a presentation in Springfield. “Where the issue comes is the compounded cost of living – the COLA’s. I think that should be negotiated, what it should be.”

He also says he is opposed to any long-term borrowing to pay short-term bills.

Rutherford says it’s too early to get voters interested in the 2014 gubernatorial race and said his decision about his political plans do not hinge on news of other people considering a run. He reminds us the primary is still more than a year away.

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