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By Wirepoints' Mark Glennon: This legislative session has seen a long list of bills that, while not grabbing headlines, inflict enormous damage even if they don't become law.
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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Legislators, including the governor either have no idea about opportunity costs, or consciously ignore them
I’d go with choice “b”, myself.
Regarding the “Mandate female, African American and Latino representation on boards of directors of every public company headquartered in Illinois” – I’d wager corporations have much more diverse boards than the trade unions. Where are the women? Looks like a bunch of old white guys…
http://www.plumberslu130ua.org/officers.aspx
http://local150.org/about-us/local-150-officers/
https://www.carpentersunion.org/contact
Don’t forget about who they send out on job sites too. I asked a couple of Hispanic friends to answer 2 questions, and they admitted I was spot on about discrimination. 1-When was the last time you saw a person of color on any big dollar job site. 2-If by some chance you did, was that person giving orders or taking them?
Let’s not forget the pipe fitters. https://www.theherald-news.com/articles/archive/2013/12/23/mitch1jhn122313/index.xml?page=3
Little repoted, but i believe ctu is the most white, least diverse city union. When sharkeys doing his thing in front of the cameras they put the low paid teachers aid and folks from the community orgs they sponser in the background. Somebody tell me im wrong
I think CTU is a fairly diverse union. But they do have about a dozen or so community groups on their foundation’s payroll. I know KOCO received over $170,000 last year from CTU and their parent AFT, and that’s on top of the foundation donation.
Although there will be an interesting dynamic in CPS negotiations this year with the very white and very male Jesse Sharkey against Chicago’s first openly gay, black female mayor. Will he intimidate and threaten her, revealing deep-seeded racism within the union ranks?
Cps web site says teachers are 50% white with students 10% white.
Right, but that’s not CPS or CTU’s fault. There simply aren’t enough minority teachers to go around.
My comment on CTU diversity was more directed at CTU leadership, which tends to be fairly diverse.
Yup, would be interesting to find out demographics of thier “800-member house of deligates” or CORE, not easy to find. From reading about their latest election, the “Members first” group that lost to sharkys–CORE are fed up with seeing there dues go to supporting community groups etc, and ctu dues are in the red. Also read about ctu push to make passing teacher exam easier for minorities. But all i was trying to say was ctu puts a great deal of effort into making itself look more diverse than it is…as former cps parent & student
Article forgot to mention the abortion on demand bill. We need that too. Jabba wants to make the state the most progressive for women’s rights so he has but he’s just killing off future tax paying citizens
Turning abortion into an arms race…smh. I knew this fat bastard was bad news when I first saw his ads 2 years ago. I also knew he’d get elected easily due to the idiocy of the average Illinois voter. Can’t wait for my wife to finish her degree so we can pop smoke and leave for Indiana..