‘Act of God’: Illinois Teachers Get Full Pay, Pension Accrual While Schools Closed – Wirepoints

By: Mark Glennon*

Overlooked in all the news last week were the terms announced for the deal for Illinois teachers while schools are closed through March 30. Millions of Illinois taxpayers who have been laid off or had their pay cut will pay for it but see no shared sacrifice.

Lost school days will not be made up but teachers will get full pay and service credit towards pensions, as well as all other benefits, while school is out.

That’s because the closing resulted from an “Act of God” according to joint statement of the Illinois State Board of Education, the office of Governor JB Pritzker, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Association of School Administrators and the Illinois Principals Association.

Are they required to work – doing what they can through remote learning?

That was left up to individual school districts. From the statement, school districts “can expect school district employees to participate in work activities in some form. The concrete details of the work, including stipend work, that will occur during this timeframe must be worked out through mutual agreement.”

Many teachers, perhaps the vast majority, are working hard to provide online instruction. That’s especially true at the most competitive schools from what I have heard anecdotally. And not all classes can be taught remotely for a number of reasons.

However, there’s no excuse for a statewide policy so lax, which is sure to be abused. I got an earful on Friday from a school administrator, who asked not to be named, incensed about many teachers who were making little effort.

One place where you can assume the lax policy is being abused is Chicago. There, sick days are commonly regarded as days off with pay and full pension accrual, and it’s already beyond obscene. Under their new contract negotiated last year, Chicago teachers can accumulate 244 sick days they can put toward an earlier retirement with a full pension. And Chicago managed to shift the cost of that give-away to state taxpayers as we explained earlier.

They are entirely oblivious to the economic crisis at hand. Earlier in the month, the Chicago Teachers Union and other labor groups held a news conference “to unleash a kitchen sink of demands that might have been unthinkable before the worldwide pandemic that started in Wuhan, China,” as the Chicago Sun-Times put it.

Those demands included a citywide meals-on-wheels program, internet access and electronic devices for students forced to stay home, debt forgiveness, suspended mortgage payments, a temporary shutdown of eviction court, a moratorium on utility shut-offs, no more penalizing schools by basing funding on school attendance and a nurse in every school sooner than the hard-fought teachers’ contract demands, according to the Sun-Times.

Most public school teachers are dedicated, valuable, public servants. Some, however, are not. Teachers unions, and what the government hands away to them, are the biggest problem.

The “Act of God” deal the state gave them is more like manna from heaven. No, scratch that. Manna from taxpayers who are looking into the abyss of layoffs and pay cuts.

We will be having much more to say on the absence of any shared sacrifice from the public sector as this crisis unfolds.

UPDATE: See our article linked here for the deal other state and local workers are getting while not working — full pay and pension accruals.

*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.

90 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Poor Taxpayer
3 years ago

Act of GOD? A few things,
#1- GOD? No such thing. Prove that there is a god.
#2 Virus is nothing but a sickness, the flu is an example, not god.
#3- Not teachers fault, just as equal not the honest hard working taxpayers fault.
They should not be treated any different than anyone else.

Frustrated
3 years ago

I am a Chicago homeowner, have a PhD and teach at a private university. I make less than many CPS teachers with a Bachelors degree and two years experience. And when my university found itself in financial difficulty, my pension was suspended for nearly a decade. Apparently, I am viewed by the teachers’ union and mayor as a cash machine for their obscene compensation package.

The Truth Hurts
3 years ago
Reply to  Frustrated

The most recent contract that is available online shows that a 2nd year teacher makes about 47k. I’m not a teacher or a professor but I certainly don’t find that amount obscene. That’s about the average starting salary for a recent college graduate. What is your recommended pay scale for CPS teachers? There isn’t an amount on the pay scale that would incentivize me to work that job. If it’s such a lucrative job I don’t understand why you wouldn’t apply.

nixit
3 years ago

The most recent contract that is available online shows that a 2nd year teacher makes about $57k, not $47k. That’s more than the median income in Chicago. Not obscene and not bad for 1 year of experience.

The Truth Hurts
3 years ago
Reply to  nixit

My mistake and I thank you for correcting. Looked at the wrong document on their website. Actually shows $55,482 for 2nd year teacher. Still not obscene. I am posting the salary schedule. I stand by my statement that if it’s so lucrative then people should apply. I wouldn’t want to work in that war zone for that amount of money.

https://www.ctulocal1.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/TeacherTablesforCTUvote2019-web.pdf

debtsor
3 years ago

It’s not the starting salary The Truth Hurts, its the salary after the first year that’s the problem. It’s the $81,702 per year after 10 years of teaching by year 2023. Conceptualize who these people are. A 10 year teacher is a 32 or 33 year old, likely married or co-habituating, and for our purposes, with another CPS teacher or teacher, both working for the *government* about 9 months a year. Both teachers together earn $163,000 a year household income, that’s in the top 18% of incomes in the entire Chicagoland area. Two 32 year olds, with ‘education’ degrees from… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Apparently you are not a teacher, debtsor, and I’d guess it’s likely you never advised your children to be teachers either. Yet, you spew forth with this aura of superiority judging an truly denigrating those who are teachers as if you know what it’s like to be one, thinking it’s SO easy! If there’s one simple thing I’ve learned it’s that someone else’s job is always so easy compared to mine, and I’d bet if you have any success others probably think your success was also so easy to attain as compared to their life choices. In general people often… Read more »

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

” In general people often deride another’s success ” YOUR SUCCESS IS not success, it is THEFT. Your government union supports candidates who increase your pay and pension. The taxpayer is not even at the table during negotiations. You keep acting like you earned this million dollar pension of yours. You did not, you are stealing it from other hard working citizens of the state who don’t get pensions. It sickens me to think that windbags like yourself are teaching children. You should be grooming dogs instead. Yes, I am pension shaming you. If I must pay your pension for… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Your argument assumes a zero-sum requirement, that my financial gains in life come as a result of your financial losses. That kind of argument could be applied to most kinds of jobs you might consider and likely yours as well. So, when you choose to denigrate one occupation you must realize you are denigrating others you’ve avoided naming as well. Look in the mirror, debtsor! Are you stealing from others, too? I’d bet that’s likely the case.

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

“Your argument assumes a zero-sum requirement, that my financial gains in life come as a result of your financial losses.”

They do. The local taxing authority reaches into my pocket, and gives it to you!

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Trump-like you are! You’ve conveniently skipped the point of the message by failing to answer it and redirected it another topic better fitting your narrative. Way to go! You have a future in politics.

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

You have no point to your messages other than “no one can understand how hard teaching is” and you accusing me of disbanding and closing all schools forever.

Because I suggested your pay be cut by 20% and your pensions reduced by 2/3rds! A $100k pension becomes a $33k pension; and then you can pay into social security too, so you’ll still have a nice sweet retirement of $50k+ a year. How many retirees have $50k a year guaranteed? You’d be a 9.9% with that kind of wealth!

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Tell you what: I’ll consider taking that kind of financial hit if you can convince other major segments of society doing likewise. I’m thinking of all kinds of people who have no reluctance at all in giving me very large bills for very small amounts of their time: lawyers, doctors, plumbers, electricians, etc. If you can get them to go back to 1960s wages I’d gladly do likewise. I tell my wife from time to time the inflated money today has very little meaning. In the 1950s a salary of $6000-$8000 per year could buy you roughly the same in… Read more »

JimBob
3 years ago
Reply to  James

James Would you go for federal insurance of $75K per year, inflation adjusted, surviving spouse benefit to start at age 62 with Obamacare or its equivalent. You’d have to give up any Illinois pensions but you’d no longer have the state or municipal credit risk? If not, what would you go for in terms of some type of bailout? The writing is on the wall in terms of the sustainability of any public pension in Illinois. The issue with many of us is to eliminate the administrators’ multi-hundred thousand annual pensions starting in their 50s with 3% COLA and Cadillac… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  JimBob

Well, you’re truly a breath of fresh air with your civility and humility in the presentation of your ideas. Bravo, we need more like you here and elsewhere in politics, too. I’m willing to do my part, contrary to what surely some here would like to believe. But, I don’t want to be blamed for what’s occurred in terms of this problem more than others, and I don’t want to be asked/forced to solve it beyond doing “my part,” whatever that is. LIke you, mostly what I despise who already make huge amounts as their salary, then do every bump-up… Read more »

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

I often think my three paragraph posts are long-winded (yet poignant, well reasoned and a pleasure for the reader to read) but yours are long and incomprehensible. All I really got out of your windbag post was that your idea of ‘reform’ is for the state to tax your own million dollar pension at a slightly higher rate than 0, otherwise, you and other pensioners might leave the state. This is kind of ridiculous idea I would expect from a teacher getting a million dollar pension. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

It was meant as my response to someone else. You seem to have read it, so your complaints fall on deaf ears in the sense that you voluntarily chose to do that. I would be voluntarily giving up multi-thousands every year, and “yes” I do consider that both a nice contribution to the problem on my part and something of a reform likely not to be challenged in court since the pension payment remains unaffected. You don’t have to agree, so “your milage may vary.”

“Haters gonna hate.”
Downtown James

JimBob
3 years ago
Reply to  James

A couple of observations — from a distance and with no particular local expertise: The heads of the public employee unions are not dumb. This plays out in three ways. (1) if bankruptcy is inevitable, the more pension the public employees have accrued, the greater their likely share of the pot in a bankruptcy where the contract obligations are all cut back. This means the longer they can hold out, the better the eventual share their members will have in the bankruptcy estate. That’s representing their members while recognizing the probability of eventual cutbacks. [Both sides can kick the can… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  JimBob

JimBob, I’m all for compromise. This is not a website that attracts people wanting to make that a priority so “what we have here is failure to communicate.” (Credit that particular phrase to the late actor Strother Martin in a Paul Newman movie, maybe “Cool Hand Luke.”) No, first what you find here is not compromise at all; you’ll find the “killer instinct” from some and moderate-to-heavy conservative politics from most others. ‘t’aint a place for liberals or sissies; they tend to be eaten alive here. I keep hoping to make inroads at least, but its a long, hard slog.… Read more »

The Truth Hurts
3 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

“They’ve cemented in a system to prioritized their pensions over other state obligations, including Tier 2s who are getting totally screwed. They are batting a thousand in the courts, surprising even their own members by getting healthcare added to constitutional protections.” You’re an attorney Mark. Based on your background and duties as an attorney wouldn’t you recommend that unions hold their ground? Why would they negotiate if they continue to bat a thousand? They are not greedy but rather using the law to fight for what is theirs. Any attorney or union leader would be guilty of not protecting their… Read more »

James
3 years ago

I know the outstanding IL public employee pension obligations are absolutely huge in absolute number terms, but roughly a weeks ago someone whose name I didn’t bother to memorize wrote that if you look at it in terms of the IL GDP the percentage of outstanding pension obligations now (well, maybe before the coronavirus problem at least) almost exactly matches what it was when the Pension Clause became part of the new IL Constitution of 1970. Perhaps someone here would care to prove that statement true or not. If so, we can presume that since the intervening years didn’t markedly… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

Don’t blame the messenger! I simply gave you some else’s take on it, presumably after some research. I have no more interest in “researching” it than your obviously disgusted reply indicates you have. So, take the thought I gave, use it or lose it. I couldn’t care less. I can’t confirm that person’s statement as true, but the same thing applies to the dismissive rebuttal you chose to give to it. “We have informed commenters here who want informed discussions.” You really believe that? I don’t in the general sense of your commenters remarks and replies at least! You have… Read more »

JimBob
3 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

I doubt as many teachers read Wirepoints as read Klonsky.Theoretically unions represent the actives rather than the retirees. I presume it’s the actives who elect the union leadership. If we can get the actives to understand what they face perhaps they’ll elect new leadership. It just takes one [brave] active to start spreading the message that the pension well will run dry in a few years and that paygo is a no-go in the current economy (or any Illinois economy in prospect) THEN there might be some inclination on the part of the Tier 1 actives to save themselves. Alternatively,… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

I just answered your latest question to me, now why don’t you go back to the one I asked you in this thread and really answer it there. You must think no one noticed you didn’t answer it there. Is that because you had no good answer? It would seem so and that you segued away from it to an irrelevant answer out of desperation. We shall see how it turns out this time.

Fedupandpacking
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

debtsor you are correct. Our homes are collateral for the redistribution of wealth by the school districts and anyone else with their hand out. We are modern day serfs. I have decided to go from a “committed” relationship in Illinois as far as ownership and instead changing it to “it’s complicated” and possibly moving to a better red state who will not womp it to my assessment next year to make up for shortfalls in this crisis.

The Truth Hurts
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

debtsor, So you are upset that someone that has worked at their profession for 10 years is making 81k per year? Would you work that job for that amount? You’ve stated on previous post that your household income is around 250k per year so I somehow doubt that. Does it bother you that 2 people in this profession that you deem beneath you somehow make a living that comes close to you. It seems to me that you think you are superior to teachers and how dare these college educated people make a descent living. Also, I have met plenty… Read more »

debtsor
3 years ago

“So you are upset that someone that has worked at their profession for 10 years is making 81k per year? ” No. But teachers are part-time government workers. And they get insane pensions. And they’re mostly terrible at their jobs. Dont’ agree with me? Look at abysmal test scores throughout the state. What % of 3rd graders can even read at grade levels? They are overpaid by a lot. I only post about a dozen or so times a day, occupying less than about 30 minutes of my time as I read the articles and comment. Since my business is… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Okay, let’s completely disband the school systems as useless. It will reduce my real estate taxes as well as yours, so I’m for it. Still, I have to wonder where all those kids will go. Oh, I know; let’s re-start child employment like all those wise industrialists has in the late 1800’s. They won’t require much in wages, it will give them something to do and all stockholders will get richer. Let’s do that! Short of that idea maybe we’ll need to build more jails since children will have so much more free time.

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

James, stupid response to my dispute over your professions’ pay. End schools as useless? I never said that! I suggested a 20% pay cut and reduce your pensions by 2/3rd. Educationer in my district earn a lot more than $81k! Most 20 year teachers well into the $100+, with some special educators earning close to $140,000.

So scary people like you are ‘educating’ my children with your irrational, illogical claptrap.

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

My bad! I thought you said schools with educated teachers are essentially worthless all over the United States. Now, I understand that you can cherry-pick a few, think more generously about them, but simply thing the teachers are paid too much. Okay, let’s create a two-tier system. The first might as well be staffed by high school graduates as teachers since have more education clearly isn’t necessary in the students’ academic achivement level. Then, we could have some more elite kinds of schools where we search nationwide for its teachers and pay them accordingly. Hm, this seeems familiar to me… Read more »

Fedupandpacking
3 years ago
Reply to  James

There is the homeschooling option that many parents already use. Just put the kids under 12 in daycare all day and have them do online classes. And there we have a solution. Instead of paying the schools-we can give a credit for monthly daycare not to exceed current rates and not to be increased by more than 2%each year. That would keep the cost reasonable and the parents on the daycares so they do not increase their rates too much

Fedupandpacking
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

I agree with this. If the teachers were putting out a product that one could hire. It also seems they are putting up with alot of antifa types who held of colleges hostage a few years ago. People are tired of having the product of these schools inflicted upon society. I do not think the people of Illinois would even mind a good wage if there wasn’t so much whining. Teachers are like weathermen-they can be wrong and do their job badly and if we in the private sector did? We would be fired. Gov JB was somehow astonished yesterday… Read more »

Proud Teacher
4 years ago

I’m a teacher in Illinois and I am working double and triple time to support e-learning. I’m sorry if some of you think that teachers are watching Netflix and eating Bon-bons all day. Despite the numerous lessons, activities, videos, etc. that we put out to families, some parents haven’t been requiring their children to take it seriously. Are we all in this together? Or, has teaching become babysitting for people who have “real” work to do. My mountain of student loans says otherwise!!

Charlotte aines
4 years ago
Reply to  Proud Teacher

Kids can just go to websites like khan academy and not get all the progressive indoctrination.

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  Proud Teacher

How the heck are we supposed to teach our kid ‘common core’ math and reading. What is an array? Why isn’t it called addition and subtraction any more? Why can’t I just teach my kid to spell properly? You teachers are teaching nonsense to our children and now we as parents can’t even fix your mistakes because the time tested terminology has been all switched up, so that only your class is able to teach our kids. No wonder kids don’t take your BS seriously, because it’s worthless trash. I see the stuff my 4th grader brings home, it’s garbage,… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

You’re “a piece of work, debtsor”—so quick to negatively judge things you don’t begin to understand. Do the those around you and world at large a favor and show a hint of humility sometimes. What are your academic credentials in these matters anyway?

James
3 years ago
Reply to  James

For all those who haven’t a clue as to the problems one encounters as a teacher all you likely know is how it affected you and your children. How would you begin to see it in a more expansive way. Teachers have to be skilled at knowing the academic preparation necessary for what they are required to teach, how to measure student progress, how to creatively teach the same concept in multiple ways, how to use computers and other technical assistance to accomplish their goals, determine what to test and seek to improve such instruments, communicate with other school personnel… Read more »

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

James, I didn’t go to ISU for an education degree. So I’ve got that going for me. I’ve seen my child’s homework and what he brings home. It’s crap printed off the internet and its difficult for 2 adults with real graduate degrees (not national lewis) to understand because it’s wordy, complicated and often nonsensical. My child comes home with math tests and no one in the house can review it because we have no idea what arrays are, or word number togethers, or any of that other common core nonsense. I know it’s the administration that choose the curriculum,… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

I think you’re confusing what you experience as been to educators in general. As with about any other career you might mention that requires a college degree for entrance the belief systems change from time to time as new research seems to require. Along wth that often comes new acronyms and new processes generally. Teachers are given only general guidance as to how any of it should be activated, so you have some schools doing the new things their way and other schools doing it another. Teacing is based on one’s phillosphy to a large extent. People of conservative bent… Read more »

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

James, Your advice really sucks. My child loads up the chrome book, and asks me a question about math or science or reading. During e-learning now, I am of no help at all. We parents are completely useless. I can’t even teach my children 1+4 because it doesn’t involve a ‘number bond’. I look at the homework and I have no idea what it is talking about – because your class of educators holds all the keys to education. All students end up dumber as a result of bad teaching and no parental involvement. Seriously, just quit your job, take… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Okay, have it your way, debtsor. You’re entitled to your opinion, right or wrong. You somehow think teachers are almost beneath contempt no-nothings. Yet, you admit not being able to teach even your own child, let along the children of total strangers. Maybe you’re not nearly as bright as you’d like to think you are, after all. I guess that Harvard-like educaton you seem to think so great isn’t all that great either or you’d be able to pick up on how to do that oh-so-simple job of teaching your child.

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

No dude, I can’t teach my children your common core curriculum. I can teach my children ‘old math’ and ‘old spelling’ but it is of no use in your education system. I definitely teach my children but I tell them not to use the time tested basic math and reading skills to do their homework, otherwise, they will get the answer wrong. I’ve seen it on my own children’s homework! You can’t just do 10+12=22 ; it’s two sets of five, combined on an array with two sets of 5 and another 2 grouped together to make 20, plus the… Read more »

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

debsor, let’s just say American education has become lots of different and competing priorities as compared the Happy Days curriculum of old–readin’, writin’ and cipherin’. Is it overall better or worse? As with most things it depends upon what you think the approrpriate goals are. The simpler the goals the easier it ought to be able to do them successfully. The more complicated you make it for both the teachers and the students by adding lots of new goals its likely you’ll be less successful in doing all of them and maybe any of them because time spent doing one… Read more »

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

Now it’s the parents fault for not demanding their children are educated by the teachers who are paid $100k a year to do so? what is wrong with you? No wonder this state is so messed up – people like you democrat every time.

I’m done with you, your irrationality and lack of common sense cannot be fixed. lets just agree to disagree.

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Oh, don’t be a wuss; man up! Who’s the “irreresistable force” here and who’s the “immovable object”? I think you should have been a teacher and helped improve at least one of the schools, but “no” you’d much rather carp from the cheap seats where nothing was required of you to do that. Cheap, easy talk. That’s you in a nutshell–another “armchair general” who never had to plan and execute a war, just satisfied to tell others how you think they should do it. The world is full of your type—foreever uncommitted to participation, but active as complainers. Actually, “President… Read more »

debtsor
3 years ago
Reply to  James

Now you bring Trump into this. You are a real piece of work. Go back to Venezuela with the rest of the CTU delegation, you loser.

James
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Now, now, surely your mother taught you not to be nasty to people, didn’t she?

3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Place like Khan academy are so much better at teaching than what kids are receiving in school today. 70 years ago a kid couldn’t even think of going to college unless he was proficient at latin, greek, geometry, algebra, biology, chemistry and of course Literature. Now kids can barely spell these courses and can’t do basic math. The public school system in this country needs to be blown up.

Fedupandpacking
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

So I grew up in Chicago and when the CPS went on strike my grandmother went up into our attic where she had alot of old textbooks from when my mom went to school (mom graduated in 1959 from High School) My grandmother gave my brother and I math , history , reading ,spelling and history lessons each day. Somehow, learning how now changed and become more complicated? It hasn’t the teachers and the boards have complicated the lessons. Kids these days cannot even make change from a dollar.

Fedupandpacking
3 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

they made it complicated so the parents look dumb to kids. So that when they push the propoganda the parents look uninformed, thus siding with the teachers who “know better”. Does that make sense?

Poor Taxpayer
4 years ago

Feel like your are getting screwed. You should because you are.
Leave as soon as you can or face much higher taxes and much less service from the state. Government does not work for you, you work for government.

Pension lawyer
4 years ago

“Act of God.” It’s no longer politically correct to say that He (or She) is punishing us. Instead, it seems to mean that it’s nobody’s fault. Therefore, people get paid for not working. [??] Why isn’t the “therefore” that the “contract clause” doesn’t need to be enforced? And here I point to both the collective bargaining agreements and the constitutional provision on pensions. To pay or not to pay: “that is the question.” From the taxpayer’s perspective, it’s not my fault so why should I pay. From the municipality’s perspective, we have to pay salaries so we can’t make pension… Read more »

Fed up neighbor
4 years ago
Reply to  Pension lawyer

Great comment, but what lawyer out there would help the taxpayers of Illinois to mount a challenge??

Pension lawayer
4 years ago

Four law firms are involved in a Kentucky lawsuit entitled MAYBERRY V. KKR. (see: https://wfpl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/367973905-Mayberry-v-KKR-KRS-lawsuit.pdf). It’s primarily a suit for breach of fiduciary duty but it also asserts “derivative” claims on behalf of taxpayers on whom the burden to keep the pension promises ultimately falls. The names of the law firms are at the end of the complaint that you can read via the link. At the moment the Mayberry case seems to be stalled pending resolution of a related case. The main issue seems to be whether taxpayers have “standing” to sue when an individual taxpayer is unable to… Read more »

Anonymous
4 years ago

To everybody that comment here on wirepoints, something bugs me. California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois the first 4 states to issue stay at home orders, close schools etc. these 4 states have the some of the worse financial situations, and the top pension debt in the country with Illinois of course on top. My feeling is they are trying to make there States insolvent and hope for federal money to save the helpless asses. Maybe I’m wrong but it seems like a conspiracy to bring the economy down and reset it. Don’t beat me up to bad please… Read more »

debtsor
4 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

I think they may be counting on the “Biden Bailout” in 2021. But that’s shortsighted.

SteveOh
4 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Thumbs-up for your comment, but I’m not so sure the Dem-leaders of the disastrous blue states are thinking that far ahead. Not that they think much, at all. They certainly wouldn’t be thinking the dimwit Biden will win. But you might be right, and they might be that stupid, delusional and disrespectful to taxpayers !!

Fed up neighbor
4 years ago

Using nearly $40 billion to help states stabilize school funding and help colleges continue operating during the crisis. This is part of crazy Nancy Pelosi plan. This shit never ends, school districts need to stabilize there funding by cutting there top heavy staffing, exuberant salaries, then guess what things will stabilize

Go IL, NOT
4 years ago

What about the article in the Tribune that none of the online classes even count, and the line up above “Lost school days will not be made up”? Are kids meeting their requirements to move on to the next grade level? What about seniors going on to higher ed? Why can’t this time be made up in the summer, like snow days?
I thank God that my kids are out. Why aren’t we all going crazy and marching in the streets demanding the service we are paying for, teaching our kids!

debtsor
4 years ago
Reply to  Go IL, NOT

“Why aren’t we all going crazy and marching in the streets demanding the service we are paying for, teaching our kids!”

Because fattie mcfatso issued a statewide order preventing us from demonstrating in groups of 10 or more, under threat of arrest. That’s why.

Poor Taxpayer
4 years ago

Feel like you are being screwed? It is because you are.

Kelly
4 years ago

What about daycares who are shut down we do just as much work

debtsor
4 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

State workers are at home doing nothing for now. But not for much longer, in my opinion. The lowest seniority unionized state workers likely only have a few weeks left themselves. State payroll taxes are drying up fast as state GDP likely dropped upwards of 25% of more during the last month. Filers with estimated taxes likely went from profits to losses and won’t be sending any estimated taxes in on 4/15. The fiscal situation of the state is deteriorating quickly. Jabba has a big decision to make: Borrow the money today to make payroll tomorrow, or, lay them off.… Read more »

Illinois Entrepreneur
4 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

They plan on one of two things, and you probably already know this: 1) They are going to get a federal bailout, and then blame Trump that it “wasn’t enough.” Not their fault, you see! 2) They will not get the bailout, but they will borrow the money from some quasi-private credit facility created and backed by the federal government. They won’t worry about the debt, because they will say it was all out of their control. Not their fault, you see! They don’t want to solve the problem, because it means they will take the fallout. They simply want… Read more »

debtsor
4 years ago

This time around I don’t think the Senate will bail out states. WI and IN and many other red states have surpluses and rainy day funds. Places like IN had hundreds of million dollars in budget surplus this year and they plan on shoring up their already fantastic educational system with it. Wi is in good shape, it had the largest budget reserve in 40 years, and can easily cut back on spending if needed. IL on the other hand, well, we know how bad they are. There’s no way the current senate will bail out poorly run blue states… Read more »

Illinois Entrepreneur
4 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

I think we disagree on the bailouts. It’s going to happen, even though I detest it just as much as you do. It’s going to be a back-door bailout, with the Fed buying municipal bonds and backing them. Illinois will know this and will put out as many bonds as they can make, all to pay for the pensions, operating costs, infrastructure — you name it. There is nothing the senators of red states can do about that, because the Fed has already asserted that power. The power of the Fed has been a big concern of certain people (Ron… Read more »

debtsor
4 years ago

Fair enough, let’s revisit. we all have opinions and educated guesses but it’s literally impossible to predict the future.

Mike Salva
4 years ago

IllinoisE, You are essentially a Tax Mule for the public sector unions in Illinois. They are going to be piling more baggage on your back very soon. I voted with my feet over 20 years ago and left Taxistan. Best financial decision I EVER made.

SteveOh
4 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

DebtsOr: You’re right, I believe, because the fiscally-responsible Red-State Senators will not vote to have their citizens’ tax dollars go to the Dimwits who were fiscally irresponsible INSIDE the Blue states. And the R Senators absolutely despise (as they should) Senators like Schumer, Feinstein, Harris, and the despicable IL Senator whose name I prefer to forget. And remember, ILL Entrepeneur, …..it’ll need 60 Senators to get bailout for badly-run states. ODDS aren’t good for the problem Blue states

Old Spartan
4 years ago

“Shared sacrifice”– there isn’ t any. While millions of private sector folks have been put on unpaid leave, how about government workers. Teachers?– the schools are closed. Toll collectors– they aren’t working since the Tollway said I-Pass only. Cook County courts are closed– what are those thousands of workers doing while they are getting paid? Metra reduces its schedule by 50%. any payroll reductions there? Libraries are closed. All those govt employees on paid vacation? You bet. Municipal and county parks are closed. Are those employees doing anything but getting paid to watch Netflix? The list goes on and on.… Read more »

James
4 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

I can’t say this for a fact, but let’s assume that they are like most lawyers who get paid even “off the clock” to think about their client’s welfare. In the case of teachers without verification one way or another I’ll have to assume they are doing the lawer thing there. We “know” they are preparing e-learning materials. That presumably takes time and huge amounts to think about such things, organize such things and put it into working order.

debtsor
4 years ago
Reply to  James

“I can’t say this for a fact, but let’s assume that they are like most lawyers who get paid even “off the clock” to think about their client’s welfare.” Do you have any idea how the real world works? You made an offensive comment. Lawyers, at least those in private practice, bill by the hour. Billing a client ‘off the clock’ is called inflating bill and fraud. It’s illegal and unethical. The real world is not like the movie, “The Firm” where Tom Cruise’s mentor tells him to bill the client even if he’s in the shower thinking about the… Read more »

James
4 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

Let’s be clear rather than argue; neither of us has any solid picture of what the various school districts have for their employee policies on this matter, let alone what individual teachers are doing. Some will be proactive and some won’t. Eventually the times will require electronic forms of instruction for a variety of reasons. Those who plan now with this time to do so will be ahead of that curve. Those who have to do it later will be under a time crunch for failing to do so now. Those who procrastinate will be paying a heavier price then.… Read more »

debtsor
4 years ago
Reply to  James

JB said that missed schools days are an ‘act of god’ and don’t need to be made up.

You’re crazy if you think teachers are planning e-learning. My kid’s elementary school teacher has sent two emails in two weeks. The ‘e-learning’ came from the principal, and it was a joke. Like, have your kid read this website and answer questions.

Freddy
4 years ago
Reply to  James

If I’m not mistaken Rockford school dist 205 is not prepared for E-Learning according from some reports. The district budget is approx $490M and very few kids do not have decent internet or good quality laptops. This would be a perfect time for Khan Academy.org but good computers are needed. Good way to learn for kids and adults alike.

Susan
4 years ago
Reply to  Freddy

Big fan of Khan Academy. Yes. And it’s free. In my school district students were given free chromebook starting a decade ago. A glance at any month’s consent agenda reveals disturbing amounts of expenditures to irrationally high numbers of disparate e-learning “resources “. I have been at school board meetings when the features of some such “tools” were described prior to the bobblehead Yes bote. They all include lesson plans and content online, including online testing and grading. Yes James’s comment is also highly offensive to medical professionals who need to take charting home, have to ‘think about’ care plans… Read more »

Tom Paine's Ghost
4 years ago

CTU and IFT are the most corrupt organizations in Illinois. They lead the pack in bribery and manipulation of Illinois politicians. At this point i have zero respect for teachers. How sad that the once proud and revered profession has sunk into the primordial ooze of organized criminals. When Illinois is bankrupt I’ll happily step over the former teachers begging for Gravy Train dog food in the gutter. And I’ll save the dog food for those who’ve earned it: my dog.

Susan
4 years ago

Nurses and doctors have seen (along with most Americans) retirement savings cut nearly in half. Already-underperforming Illinois home values are likely to plummet, which will knock off the second leg of the savings for ‘dignified retirement’ stool. Third leg of the stool: in a humane modern society, blind faith that it must be impossible for a sector of workers be expected to risk their own and their families’ lives to extend lifespans of another sector of workers who contribute so heavily to the stool-storm destroying their economic lives? If Illinois public teachers get Federal stimulus checks it will destroy many… Read more »

DantheMan
4 years ago
Reply to  Susan

I really don’t see the point of comparing pay/benefits between completely different professions. When determining equity, the comparison should be between the public and private sectors for similar jobs. Yes, I think public teachers are ridiculously compensated in Illinois, but I fail to see how that is relevant when discussing the compensation of medical professionals or any other profession. The public teachers are screwing over everyone in Illinois, not just one other profession.

Susan
4 years ago
Reply to  DantheMan

My point is : nobody gets defined benefit plans anymore. Except, the ‘government’ sector . Parts of the government sector are people who put their lives at risk as a function of the job description. They may have a legitimate argument for societal encumbrance of defined benefits entitlements. (Although I would argue sociery is better served when all professions are at risk (IRA, 401k, etc.) in personal retirement savings). Other government workers who burden society with their entitlements cannot make that life-at-risk argument (teachers, school administrators, municipal economic development officials for example). My point was to take a class of… Read more »

nixit
4 years ago

Would an “Act of God” pause the pension systems’ automatic 3% COLA for one year? I’m kidding, of course, we all know the answer. After all this, we’re going to have an uncomfortable pension conversation, more uncomfortable than any conversation preceding it. While the working folks have and private sector retirees make great sacrifices – from furloughs to pay cuts to unemployment to retirement savings depletion – the optics around public sector retirees not only emerging financially unscathed, but better off, will not sit well with the plebeians. So when our politicians use the pandemic to sell us on pension… Read more »

NB-Chicago
4 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

Your going to find out tommorow, how much feds titanic $trillion/ multi-trillion$ bailout will go to states either to directly provide services or buy bad state debt /muni bonds and hence for a bankrupt illinois offset pension payments ( a pension bailout). If your a debt free Wisconsin, aren’t you upset? From what i read thats one of the last sticking points

debtsor
4 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

JB admitted in his interview with, of all people, Jake Tapper on CNN, that he was tanking the state’s economy, but he’s doing it to ‘save lives’. A guy who inherited $4,000,000,000 and has done nothing notable with his life is treating the livelihood of everyone who is not a state employee like it’s his own personal play thing, and he alone can decide to allow you to earn a living, or go on food stamps, at his will, on a moment’s notice. What a complete piece of crap. He’s trash, I hope the state population runs him out of… Read more »

SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER

Home Page Signup
First
Last
Check all you would like to receive:

FOLLOW US

 

WIREPOINTS ORIGINAL STORIES

A statewide concern: Illinois’ population decline outpaces neighboring states – Wirepoints on ABC20 Champaign

“We are not in good shape” Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski told ABC 20 Champaign during a segment on Illinois’ latest population losses. Illinois was one of just three states to shrink in the 2010-2020 period and has lost another 300,000 people since then. Ted says things need to change. “It’s too expensive to live here, there aren’t enough good jobs and nobody trusts the government anymore. There’s just other places to go where you can be more satisfied.”

Read More »

WE’RE A NONPROFIT AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE.

SEARCH ALL HISTORY

CONTACT / TERMS OF USE