McHenry-Richmond-Spring Grove Republican County Board Candidates Draw Teacher Union Leader Opponent

Arne Waltmire

Arne Waltmire

Arne Waltmire, an unsuccessful candidate for the McHenry County College Board during the spring of 2013, has filed as a Democrat to run for the McHenry County Board in District 4.

Wlatmire was endorsed by the MCC instructors and staff unions.

He received 4,453 votes in that election or 6.76%.

Top vote getter Molly Walsh received 12,936 or 19.63%.

Chris Jenner received 9,720 or 14.75%.

Tom Wilbeck got 8,869 or 13.46%.

Waltmire’s 4,453 votes meant he ran seventh out of nine.

MCC election results not final but best I have 2013

His McHenry County College pamphlet can be seen below.

There was also a mailing being delivered the Saturday before the election in my neighborhood, presumably to a teachers’ mailing list.

Here is how Waltmire did in each precinct in Burton, McHenry and Richmond Townships:
Burton-McHenry Side labelsWaltmire Burton + MHc Twps MCC

Arne Waltmire, candidate for the McHenry County College Board, believes "a strong economy and a vibrant workforce begins with one thing:  Education."

Arne Waltmire, candidate for the McHenry County College Board, believes “a strong economy and a vibrant workforce begins with one thing: Education.”

The back of Arne Waltmire's literature says he is "an educator and a leader."

The back of Arne Waltmire’s literature says he is “an educator and a leader.”

Richmond side headingsWaltmire RichmondWaltmire filed on May 5th.

He is running against veteran John Hammerand and newcomer Chuck Wheeler.


Comments

McHenry-Richmond-Spring Grove Republican County Board Candidates Draw Teacher Union Leader Opponent — 8 Comments

  1. …or SEVENTH out of NINE, but only if you count everyone who ran in that race Look at the voting tabulation again, Cal.

  2. If Arne Waltmire is going to working for the taxpayers, he should demand transparency at his current employer, Crystal Lake High School District 155.

    Mr. Waltmire should demand that CHSD 155 tape and archive on its website all school board meetings and school board committee meetings.

  3. Mr. Waltmire teaches auto mechanics at Crystal Lake South High School.

    Here’s his salary history for that position.

    Year – Salary — Years Teaching Experience
    2014 – ?
    2013 – ?
    2012 – $120,538 – 27
    2011 – $113,873 – 26
    2010 – $107,323 – 25
    2009 – $100,679 – 24
    2008 – $095,603 – 23
    2007 – $090,243 – 22
    2006 – $086,370 – 21
    2005 – $078,519 – 20
    2004 – $071,453 – 19
    2003 – $066,445 – 18
    2002 – $060,197 – 17
    2001 – $055,115 –
    2000 – $057,370 –
    1999 – $037,727 –

    Mr. Waltmire taught at Pekin District 303 (Pekin CUSD 303) in 1999.

    Data Sources: Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Teacher Service Record (TSR), FamilyTaxpayers.org.

    2013 & 2014 records would have to be requested via FOIA from the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois (TRS) pension fund.

    School district reported salaries, even on the state mandated P.A. 097‐0256 Salary Compensation report, are typically lower than pensionable income according to TRS.

    PA 097-0256 should mandate TRS Pensionable income as one line item, and any other benefits as an additional line item(s).

    TRS Pensionable income includes pension pickups by the school board.

    CHSD 155 is one of those many school districts where the board “picks up” most (96%) of the teachers pension contribution to the TRS pension fund.

    That’s part of the teachers’ “overall compensation package” as negotiated during collective bargaining.

    The CHSD 155 teacher pension pickup is being reduced in future years per the last collective bargaining agreement.

    Per the CHSD 155 website.

    “Retirement Benefits:

    Year 1: Board pays 9.8901% of employee’s salary to Teachers Retirement System (TRS); equivalent to 96% of required employee contribution (same as previous contract).

    Year 2 and 3: Board pays 4.712% of employee’s salary or 50% of required employee contribution (whichever is lower) to Teachers Retirement System (TRS); employee pays remainder of required employee contribution to TRS.”

    http://ww2.d155.org/Articles/2013-2014/20132016contract.aspx

    Pension pickups are an outrageous abuse of taxpayer money.

    For example, teachers don’t contribute to Social Security.

    Have you ever heard of an employer “picking up” an employees Social Security contribution?

    Plus, the State of Illinois (on behalf of the employer) already contributes more than the 9.4% teacher pension contribution and .48% employer contribution to the TRS pension fund.

    As Chicago teachers and administrators are not part of TRS (Chicago teachers and administrators participate in a different pension fund which does not have such a generous contribution from the State of Illinois), Chicago politicians are fighting to have the State of Illinois TRS pension contribution shifted from the State to local school districts.

    Now CPS receives other perks that suburban schools do not receive.

    However, given the horrible financial condition of the State of Illinois, and the pension pickup fiasco by many school districts outside Chicago, that shift may very well come to fruition someday.

    In that case who would “pick up” the pension contribution shifted from the State to Local School Districts?

    Local taxpayers.

    There would be a shift from State Income Taxes to Local Property Taxes, for the TRS employer pension contribution currently being “picked up” by the State of Illinois.

    Mr. Waltmire should be explaining all this to local taxpayers if he wants to represent the public.

    So should your local State Rep and Senator.

    So should your Governor.

    So should your elected school board officials.

    But they don’t, or if they do, don’t do it very well.

    No one wants a bunch of teachers screaming “you don’t appreciate me,” “I’m not going to vote for you,” “We paid into our pension our entire life,” “A pension is a promise,”, etc.

    And we have not even discussed all the legislative pension benefit hikes that started in 1971 after one sentence was added to the 1970 Illinois State Constitution stating pension are contractual and cannot be diminished or impaired.

    Although there is no limit to pension benefits increases and improvements.

    And once increased and improved, pensions cannot be diminished or impaired.

    And we have not even started talking about Early Retirement Option (ERO) perk for teachers and administrators, just renewed in 2013 by legislators for another 3 years, which allows teachers and administrators to retire with full benefits with as little as 20 years of service if they make the ERO contribution to the pension fund.

    And the employer ERO contribution is 2x the employee ERO contribution, so the taxpayers get the short of that ERO pension contribution stick too.

    It goes on and on.

    So if Mr. Waltmire has not told you all this, what is he not going to tell you if he’s elected to the McHenry County Board?

    On a final note, Mr. Waltmire’s pension will be 75% of the average of his last 4 years pensionable income.

    Let’s just take the 4 years from 2009 – 2012.

    That will be a lowball figure, because presumably he earned more in 2013 and 2014 and his earnings will increase until he retires.

    Full retirement is 35 years of service, which means if you exchange 2 years of unused sick leave, you can retire after 33 years worked.

    Year – ISBE reported income – Years Worked
    2012 – $120,538 – 27
    2011 – $113,873- 26
    2010 – $107,323 – 25
    2009 – $100,679 – 24

    $120,538 + $113,873 + $107,323 + $100,679 = $442,413.

    $442,413 / 4 = $110,603.

    $110,603 x .75 = $82,952.

    Mr. Waltmire’s starting pension will be more than $82,952.

    Currently, pending the outcome of lawsuits, the pension will increase 3% compounded annually.

  4. Just in case you believe that teachers and administrators “deserve” their pension consider this.

    Teachers and administrators typically recoup their lifetime pension contributions in the first 1 – 3 years of retirement.

    Compare that ROI to Social Security and your 401K.

    The legislative benefit hikes to the TRS pension fund have placed a massive burden on the taxpayer.

    That massive burden is part of the unfunded liability.

    The unfunded TRS liability is also caused by the State not making it’s required contributions to the pension fund.

    But the legislative benefit hikes caused the State contribution to increase.

    And only 1 person has even attempted to describe the legislative benefit hikes from 1971 – current for the TRS pension fund.

    Bill Zettler.

    We could go on and on.

    We need politicians who can and will explain this stuff to us.

    That’s part of their job.

  5. Arne has a horrible, horrible comb over.

    If a man can’t be honest with himself and buzz it off, how can we expect him to be honest with the voters?

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