-- 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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Everything is free except for the taxpayers who pay twice as much as they should.
Pay more and get less is the new Illinois Motto.
Pritzker proposes state taxpayers pay 100% of the costs for Illinois students to attend community college. Presumably including remedial learning classes (collegiate high school level classes in reading and math). What is the definition of an Illinois student? Anyone with an Illinois address? Including illegal immigrants who arrived during and before Joe Biden’s soft on border policies? Including gotaways? Presumably also including students who spend little to no time studying for whatever reason and get C’s and D’s because who cares, it’s free community college, party on bro, relax and smoke legal weed. Sure state taxpayers can afford it according… Read more »
Community college graduation statewide rates is only 36%. It’s really low for public community colleges. Community college is a product that the state needs to give away for free because few want to pay for it. The same problem with all of the other colleges in Illinois – the 18 year old incels and femcels would rather work part-time at the coffee shop and live in their parents basement instead of getting out into the world and beginning life. The smart kids who go to four year colleges, over half of them leave the state entirely. Our youth and leaders… Read more »
I’m a great proponent of community colleges – local, reasonably priced, taught by adjuncts (many of whom teach at larger and more prestigious institutions), and a stepping stone to either a career or a four-year education. But FREE? Most don’t value what they are given for FREE and will find it an excuse to live in their parents’ basement and learn to complain about every minor ‘aggression’ while they skate through another two years on the taxpayer’s dime. A colleague completed her Associates Degree in engineering at community college, then transferred to the engineering program at the U of I/Champaign,… Read more »
Really! Where is this money coming from?
I agree state colleges should be affordable, but lets look at the number of staff side and their pay versus number of faculty and their pay.
There are more bureaucracy levels on the staff side which of course they have to have more people and higher pay.
Maybe cut down on the bureaucracy and use that money for this “great progressive program!”
Easy cost savings: eliminate all DEI positions.
The education environment is extremely top heavy with administration – prune the hedge!
You are already paying for community college through your real estate tax bill. The tuition charged barely covers any of the actual costs.