-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about AFSCME’s new 4-year contract and their guaranteed benefits, the overwhelming power public sector unions have over taxpayers, why Mayor Brandon Johnson’s OpEd shows exactly what’s wrong with K-12 education in Illinois, and more.
Read more from Wirepoints:
Summary and audio linked here.
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
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Audio and summary
Here’s an article on government pensions.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/risks-hidden-public-pension-funds-140953805.html
The new job market looks like this ; ten applicants for every opening in the public sector, nobody applies for private business with many openings.Every body wants to be selfemployed.
The unions are telling loud and clear “Move, run as fast as you can”.
I have always known there was definitely something not quite right about employment in Illinois. The only reason union employment is not illegal is because the union strongarmed enough people to get their ludicrous deals sealed in the Illinois Constitution. I knew someone who worked for the state and quit once they had enough. Fellow employees didn’t bother to come to work, smoked dope in their cars on extra long lunch breaks or better yet, preferred to work in their cars, cried to others because they were in their mid fifties, bought a new house with a pool and couldn’t… Read more »
Union employment was legal before the constitutional amendment. The amendment just makes it harder to change in the future. Also, how did they “strong-arm” the voters to agree to add this to the constitution? This amendment was supported by both democrats and republicans in the GA and was voted on by the people of Illinois. This is what the people wanted.
Would these be the same unions that told my dad, an Illinois Union President,
they wanted a bigger (unrealistic) financial contract or they were coming after him? It was a threat and they did come after him. They knew where we lived. He retired, much too young, early the next year to protect himself and his famiy. Honest to God. That’s why this Democrat girl left the party years ago. We were strong armed. No one I know ever voted for that treatment. What would you call it?
I agree that nobody should support violence but that can happen in any walk of life not just unions. People from all over the political spectrum are threatened every day. It’s sad. As far as your dad’s story, it sounds like they wanted a more lucrative contract and he didn’t support it or couldn’t deliver the results? You implied that he was in fear of his families lives yet he waited to retire a year later? It sounds like the union wanted him to demand and get more than he thought was the fair amount and that didn’t align to… Read more »
You get it put on the ballot again and we’ll change the constitution. You sound like someone who could get that done.
People such as you. “ Hooray fat pensions at the taxpayers expense! Hooray benefits working people can’t afford! Hooray my enabling friends in Springfield!” Good on ya mate, good on ya.
PPF is leech fattened by sucking off the taxpayer. All comments stem from that fact. As a kid I remember pulling fat grape sized ticks off of our dogs and slamming the parasites into splatter on the sidewalk. That is the future for PPF and his fellow public sector vermin.
Easy, Tom. Your namesake made his case with a little more class than that.
If the balanced budget amendment can be ignored, so can pension rights.
There is no balanced budget amendment that is being violated. I’ve explained this many times to you. You may have a learning disability. Pension rights can’t be ignored as the courts have unanimously expressed. Try again.
Quoting ……. “Pension rights can’t be ignored as the courts have unanimously expressed.”
Well, the money CAN run out…… and I’m guessing it WILL in the not too disatant future. Perhaps you can use the pension IOU’s in you fireplace to heat your home in the Chicago winters.
When’s the money going to run out for the state? The pension funds, while underfunded, will last for quite some time based on current funding and growth projections. Also, the state brings in over $50 billion per year and pays out about $16 billion per year to pensioners. Even if the pension funds run dry, the state has plenty of money for pensions just not all those other services currently offered. You want those service you’ll need to kick in more taxes. Dont worry about me keeping warm during Chicago winters. Those of us who planned for retirement have the… Read more »
I had to laugh out loud. You’re mean 🙂
Not the Federal Courts!!
They will be involved in due time.
The federal courts may step in if Illinois doesn’t make those tier 2 benefits better. They won’t be stepping in just so taxes don’t increase. Plenty more taxes to be raised.
Correct me if I am wrong but I think JFK signed the bill that allowed governmental employees to unionize.
And the State of Illinois keeps adding “extra spices” to make it even more appealing and corrupt. JFK has nothing to do with the definition of Unions in Illinois anymore. We own it and he wouldn’t recognize it.
Once upon a time public employee unions were illegal and for the reason so much ink is spilled in this website. Even FDR was against public employee unions.
The Thornley-Pritzker pic is the perfect picture to describe what IL has become – smug, entitled, arrogant, lawless, bullies.
It’s all for “ the common good “ comrades! Da.
Wife and I just moved from the miserable state of Illinois for the freedom of SC. Better weather, lower taxes and significantly smaller of state employees. Enjoy your new increased benefits Illinois state workers! You won’t have them for long as the smarter former Illinois residents move and take their $ with them.
South Carolina doesn’t offer less taxes for everyone. Sure our property taxes are higher but you get your retirement taxed in SC. For a couple with solid retirement income it can be quite significant. Last I looked I would pay over 16k in income taxes from retirement sources in SC that I wouldn’t pay in Illinois. No thanks.
That’s interesting, because I know more than a handful of Illinois pension retirees who’ve made this exact same cost-benefit analysis, and still chose to retire in South Carolina. Either they’re all wrong and stupid, or, there’s a part of the equation that you’re missing.
They could have made that decision that wasn’t based merely on finances. They could earn less money than me. They could pay more property taxes than me. Perhaps the variables in my equation don’t match those of your handful of friends that left for SC.
I have a friend that just bought a place in SC and it had nothing to do with his tax situation. He just likes to spend time there. Believe it or not, everyone doesn’t choose where they live based on taxes or politics.
PPFtard,
Have you considered retirement income WILL one day be taxed in Taxistan to pay for your golden pension and OPEB?!!
You keep flapping your lips about the need for more taxes in your beloved corrupt Dem controlled state.
If Illinois started taxing retirement income, I think many retirees would relocate to states that have no state income tax or have a more favorable retiree tax setup than Illinois would. Those scooting would include many State of Illinois retirees with their huge pensions. Such a pension couple could save $10K-$20K a year in income taxes to start.
That may be the reason IL hasn’t already taxed retirement. Even IL pols can figure out a ton of wealth would leave the state.
Just make a law that you have to live in Illinois to collect a state pension.
That would be unconstitutional. Pensions are not some type of gift or a gratuity. It is money that belongs to the pensioner and is not subject to the whim of the general assembly.
That may well seem logical and even good on its surface. But, since no pensioner is still obligated to the rules of an employer I don’t think either the state nor the federal government can restrict where any retiree can live and surely not establish such laws after a person already has retired. We live in a society that permits people to choose their place of residence except where a jail-like sentence or some harsh degree of psychological or medical isolation applies. I’m hard pressed to think of other situations would readily permit that serious loss of an individual’s rights… Read more »
Such a move, however, would free up a lot of paid off homes currently occupied by old people, and decrease the cost of housing.
Interesting. With South Carolina’s tax rates ranging in the 5 to 7 percent rates can then we assume your pension is in the 300,000 range? Nice pension for a State employee.
Not all pension. It’s nice to have a solid plan for retirement though.
On behalf of all of us nonunion employees here in Illinois, let me say thank you. So glad it’s working out for YOU.
It is working out for me. Then again I understood at an early age that it was better to take ownership of my financial security rather than sit around and blame others. All of my friends that have operated with the same mindset are also doing quite well. Funny how that works.
Come on, you don’t “own” your financial security. All of us “forced” to pay higher taxes on everything, everyday are responsible for your financial security.
The same could be said for every employee everywhere who relies on the payment of others for their time and labor. It has ever been this way. “There is nothing new under the sun.”
At least I would have a choice. I would have the freedom not to buy their product and pay for their time and labor so they would have to get their payment elsewhere. I have no freedom not to pay outrageous taxes to support Illinois. What’s “new under the sun is that in some cases we can legally say “no” or boycott if you prefer.
You have a choice. You can convince your neighbors to vote differently. You can decide to move to another location. You can live in Illinois and complain on WP and other sites about all the taxes. It’s time to put your big boy pants on and accept the outcomes of your decisions. No free ride for you Marie.
For circumstances that are none of your business, I can’t move. I can’t make anyone vote, I’m not a politician. I’m not giving up that easy. I’ve been dealing with it all my life. Why throw in the towel now? It should be obvious I’m not a quitter. I wear my big boy pants everyday and keep fighting. If you think I’m getting a free ride, you’re not reading what I’m writing. Peace out, I’m done.
I don’t need to know your circumstances only that you have made a “choice” to stay in Illinois. Clearly Illinois offers more benefits that outweigh any costs. Thanks for clearing that up.
I pay for all kinds of goods and services just as we all do and more so with the results of aging. That’s not to say I’m necessarily thrilled with the quality of those services, and most of the time when I decide to use another vendor who promises either better quality or a lower price I don’t have it all that long before I am dissatisfied there as well. I’ll bet you’d find lots of people who feel similar to me who are “forced” for personal reasons to pay for services they soon learn to dislike. Changing vendors feels… Read more »
Sounds like you can make a choice.
You have one as well. Just prefer to play the victim instead.
Yes, but so many times it comes down to a choice between sets of mediocre options. I want a choice of excellent options and find myself otherwise dissatisfied. People everywhere and in all walks of life proclaim excellence, but try finding it.
I do too but mine are taxable in Illinois (
Not your retirement income. Pensions and IRA/401K’s are treated the same and are not taxable.
IL doesn’t tax social security benefits either.
Well, Mr. “Yes but…” so glad it works for your specific needs.
Wife’s colleague moved to Rock Hill, SC in a 2 bedroom condo (She lives alone). She still works remote at her old job in IL. Her SC property tax on her car and condo = $600/ yr.
Pritzker and his marxist Democrats can put that where the sun don’t shine.
Whenever I read about Government raises I note that the “step raises” are never mentioned. We hear about the annual raises and COLAs but never about the backroom in grade raises they get just for existing on the job
Seeing how JB is throwing our cash and future taxes around to his public union supporters, the inflation rate for government services in this state will continue to push way higher. Thanks JB – with you, there is no end to higher inflation. Illinois is already a state with costs way too high to be competitive at anything. I do not understand how JB, our politicians or the voters (other than government employees) see this as good, or progress – the common person gets screwed.
This is IL. If the corruption, cronyism, and malfeasance in every area of IL government and courts upsets you, you must leave to have change.
The pension parasites are now feeding off the rotting corpse of this failed state
Some animals are more equal than others….
Stop paying state workers with money. Instead, pay them with employer money to be used at employer stores only. That would solve the problem. It worked for the coal miners, why not for state workers? #sarcasm