Many of those budgets balanced, if that's the word, thanks to borrowing, also known as running up taxpayers' debts. Some budgets balanced because of grossly inflated tax projections. Some budgets balanced because lawmakers skipped full pension payments. Some budgets brimmed with hidden pork projects. In fact, some budgets from 2003 to 2015 when Democrats controlled all three branches of lawmaking were crafted by Madigan's own staff. During that time, the unfunded pension liabilities in the state's five funds more than doubled.