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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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CTU is an employment program for loyal democrat voters and democrat political contributors paid at the expense of real hardworking citizens. CTU goons couldn’t otherwise be employed, even at the post office. They’ve proven their deep incompetence as ‘educators’ so end the charade. Bust this gang of thieves. Toss them to the street and start over.
Give ’em what they want Toni, you’re a progressive, give them the progressive utopia they desire, full of abstract concepts like equity and diversity and progress.
Stacy Davis Gates, CTU vice president, questioned whether the mayor was being “petty that this union didn’t endorse her.” Perhaps the union is not happy that Preckwinkle didn’t win and is intent on striking to make the Mayor look bad. This union really disgusts me.
Lock the schools; reduce the offer by 1% per day and set up a website where teachers who want to work can apply for work as a substitute with a preference for reinstatement based on the length of time they work in the substitute position. In consideration of being hired as a substitute, require a written waiver and release from any claims under applicable state or federal law. Hire other substitutes as needed so that schools can be staffed and reopened. Meanwhile, keep a negotiating team at the table and get some injunctions against interference with students and substitutes entering… Read more »
I agree that kids have a constitutional right to an education but the only one that is free and provided by the state is the public system. In Article X Sec 3 it states that any public funds are forbidden for any sectarian purposes. So in the event of a strike or the threat of a strike (in my opinion) kids should be able to transfer to every private and charter school available paid for by the state (probably would be much cheaper for taxpayers). If the unions (teachers) are unhappy with compensation and benefits they are free to find… Read more »
Are the public entities obligated to do the best they can with available funds, or may they simply close the schools as if the strike were just some month-long snowstorm? I’m thinking the school board just says “ho hum” and waits for the negotiators. Nobody cares enough — such as the A.G. — to play some fast pitch hardball with the unions. Could it be that the unions own the A.G.? If the state stopped paying legislators, the A.G. would be in emergency mode within the hour. If there were an active shooter in the school or a nano-virus in… Read more »
Do you think there is a way around the Sec 3 sectarian provision like sending kids to Catholic or Lutheran/ schools etc as long as they refrain from teaching religious doctrine if both schools and state agree? In my opinion when prayer was taken out of public schools that was the beginning of the downfall of the public education system. Curious. Are Muslim kids allowing to pray in public schools? How can we as taxpayers demand the best education for kids when the only “Free” choice is public according to the constitution? The state argument would be separation of church… Read more »
I don’t know much about church-state issues but certainly public schools permit and encourage students of all ethnic and religious groups to interact on a daily basis. I think public schools rent space to churches. A Google search on gets a lot of hits. I expect teachers unions would use every available means to challenge it (including church-state arguments) in order to tie things up in court and force expenditure of school funds to defend litigation. If the City were brave enough to set up a new district and offer jobs to CTU members and if the School District were… Read more »
Well, that’s your spin on it, Freddy. But, for one thing I’ve not seen nor heard anyone else ever suggest it—something of a “not gonna happen” signal, it would seem. Secondly, you are presuming that IL government can mandate how religious organizations spend their resources. That says states can state interfere with religion. That can’t be legal, can it?
James. Probably not legal but in reading the Preamble in our constitution it states we are grateful to Almighty God for political and religious liberty but then God cannot be mentioned in public schools and later states in Sec 3 that no public money can be given to religious organizations. If you read the preamble ask yourself how many things mentioned there are only a pipe dream like eliminate poverty/representative gov’t/healthcare/fullest development of a individual. I know they can’t tell religions what to do but there has to be some middle ground where it can be offered but not mandated.… Read more »
Well, I do like the option you’ve mentioned essentially of using vouchers for parents to be the responsible parties for spending the state’s educational dollars. Free choice is a good idea theoretically. That’s not to say its a “slam dunk” idea, of course, as there are bound to be numerous road blocks against its implementation as we’ve seen with that idea already from various quarters at the national level. Still, “way to go,” Freddy!
James I was going to use the word voucher but could not think of a better word until now. What about the word “subsidy” The state loves subsidizing almost anything like corporations so then the state subsidizes parents who in turn can use the subsidy as a voucher for school choice.Win- Win for everyone without the state breaking any laws. Bottom line this is about the kids. They should get the best education possible at the best cost to taxpayers. Have you heard about Khan Academy? Great way to learn. What I would love to see is every child getting… Read more »
Freddy, the idea in general is good. The word used for describing the concept can be manipulated one way to sound positive for those who like it and in another way to sound negative for those who deride it. But, the core concept you are promoting is that of individual consumer choice with an underlying message that the provider who does a better job at an equal or lesser cost will gain more students and more revenue by doing so. Those who fail to do so will dwindle by contrast. Competition is good.