-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
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.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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remove school boards from april elections and put them in November elections. Turnout surges from 16% to 60%.
But the progressive lunatics might lose
Great idea.
One could write a 200 page book about the problems with school board elections in Illinois. For instance, you can’t win a war without an army. Do you see any armies out there to oppose the teacher unions? Teacher unions are organized at the local, regional, state, and Federal level and get paid to do their job. These are paid battle hardened experienced veterans fighting to hike their pay, benefits, working conditions, and social justice causes. Contrast that to what, somebody getting a few buddies together to run for school board, often because they have a hot button issue and… Read more »
The real problem with elected school boards? Everyone wants to be liked. You could run on “keep taxes in check” but that makes you the bad guy in the eyes of the school admin and teachers. When you talk to school employees – many hard-working and likable folks like yourself – you begin to see their difficulties as a peer and think, “Wouldn’t it be great if we had more money for this and this and this?” It’s inevitable. How can you say no after buddying up to all these good people? It’s fun sitting w/ architects and building things.… Read more »