A view of the crowd at the McHenry County Board meeting yesterday.
Word has come from multiple sources that some McHenry County Board members were threatened by phone the night before the vote on Governor Bruce Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda.
Those threatened voted, “Yes,” anyway I am told.
There were also threats during the meeting.
The special interest groups especially the public sector unions do not want to concede one penny.
After 44 years of pension hiking and retiree healthcare hiking legislation to underfunded pension and retiree healthcare plans, after 44 years of too often overly generous collective bargaining agreement and administrative contract pay hikes which hike the pensions, people are finally putting to the puzzle pieces together, and it’s not a pretty picture.
The wool was pulled over the public’s eyes.
All these hikes were not explained to the public.
At best, it was completely irresponsible to provide legislative pension hikes to underfunded pensions.
It seems as if it was an outright scam on the taxpayers funding the scheme, public sector workers and politicians hiding behind the pension sentence added to the 1970 constitution which was taken to mean no matter how much pension and retiree healthcare benefits were hiked, the taxpayers would have to fork over the dough for the hikes, because the hikes could not be diminished or impaired.
It’s like a guaranteed credit card with no limit, utterly preposterous.
If there were threats during the meeting, why were those people not thrown out of the meeting.
And if anyone should be angry it’s the taxpayer (yes public sector workers and public sector union members are taxpayers too, except the most lucrative aspect of their compensation, their pensions, is tax exempt in Illinois.
By far the most disrespectful group of people I’ve ever seen at a public meeting.
The fact that they are so blind to the root problems of Illinois’ fiscal mess just shows how out of touch they are.
They can bus people in from wherever they want, but the people have already spoken. McHenry County voted for Rauner by more than a 2 to 1 margin.
Watch out for the unions in McHenry County . . . they will go after family . . . document everything.
Yes, Joe, why weren’t these people removed from the meeting?
Will unions go after anything? They must have learned from Republicans who went after Clinton, Obama and anyone that doesn’t agree with them. Rauner invested pension money for the teachers’ unions and lost a bundle while he became rich.
Now he wants to cut unions.
You put the wolf in charge of the hen house.
I hope the exodus from McHenry County when they study is next time is 40% and let the rest of you be stuck here.
The cumulative investments made by the Teachers Retirement System of the State of Illinois (TRS) pension fund (which covers teachers and administrators) with the firm in which Governor Rauner was a partner (GTCR) resulted in investment returns which exceeded the TRS average.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140310/NEWS02/140319996?template=printart
I wouldn’t necessarily describe the pensions situation as “an outright scam,” although it seems that way sometimes.
Here’s a more likely scenario:
1. Good faith negotiations in the context of higher inflation. In the context of real world deflation, benefits calculated with cost of living increases will balloon due to compound interest.
2. Inflation does not happen (thanks to the Federal Reserve and US Government)
3. The problem is exacerbated by the peculiar situation whereby one entity recruits and promises a certain retirement benefit to employees, but another entity altogether is responsible for payment.
I understand the anger of teachers and others who have made life plans based on those retirement benefits.
But something has to give: there are retired public employees who make more in retirement than hard working active workers at their peak.
There is no fairness in that.
Mc Henry County board is corrupt. They are all living the high life with their fancy homes and swimming pools. Making rules and spending wildly. They sit comfortably having cozy jobs and very generous pensions. They get rich and they protect the interests of themselves and their rich friends. They are out of touch. I dont think they are the most qualified, best, group to be figuring out how to handle a pension crisis & unions. And neither is Bruce Rauner. At some point, unions are going to have to give a little BUT… So are elected officials who overspend. Tax payers are not going to take it anymore. Its funny somebody made a threat. Who does that? What did they really threat? I think its a HOAX!!! More people are leaving Illinois because spending is wildly out of control. If there is no money…, you can’t promise pensions road upgrades, school improvements, upgrades, etc. TAX PAYERS MUST STOP FOOTING THE BILL! McHenry county board has questionable ethics and disregard transparency… Of course they have their best interests in mind and not the residents who they’re running out of the county. HAHA. NO JOBS HERE AND TAXES ARE OUTRAGEOUS! Keep voting for stuff because Bruce Rauner wants you too. He doesn’t care about you either. You’re Puppets! But really, if anybody is saying that they were threatened WHO would do that? Total hoax! Just trying to get attention. IMO.
I would suggest greed was the motivator for the teachers’ pension problem than what “name less” indicates.
When a Governor presents his education budget it is in three parts:
1- k-12
2- universities
3- pensions
Many times during the at least the 1990’s, the teacher union reps would convince weak-kneed legislators toe shift the pension money to State Aid to Education.
From the union perspective it was a double win:
1- Their members would get higher raises than otherwise.
2- Their pensions would be higher as a result of the higher salaries.
The assumption was that the pensions were guaranteed by the State Constitution, so later when the bill would come due, it would have to be paid.
I’m proud of Board Members for standing up to threats.
It’s nice to have a source of political pride in this County.
Oh the web you weave.
They thought there was enough to send this back to committee. It probably would have until the unions turned the meeting, full of decorum, into a high school football game cheering for the Crystal Lake South bleechers. The unions erupted for Carolyn Schofield and Anna May Miller. When that happened you saw some minds change and some spines stiffened.
I hope the video comes out.
The unions cheered for Carolyn and Anna May the most… don’t be fooled by her yes vote at the end – she saw the majority and wanted to say me too (coincidentally not joining Skala). I just sit in the back of the room, like a fly on the wall, and watch all of you.
All of you.
The pensions were an outright scam.
In addition to the budgeting problem described by a former State Representative, there is the legislative benefit hiking problem.
Benefits were hiked to underfunded pensions from 1971 thru 2011.
This happened repeatedly over a span of FOUR DECADES after the pension sentence was added to the Illinois State Constitution.
There is no fiscal reason for legislative benefit hikes to underfunded pensions.
That creates a bigger underfunding problem.
Scam.
And the same process occurred with retiree healthcare.
The evidence is in the 1,500 page Illinois Pension Code, in the Public Acts, in the House Bills, in the Senate Bills, in the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois financial reports and records.
The evidence is documented and indisputable.
Scam.
If county board members were threatened by unions and their members it is absolutely normal. Unions have been using thug intimidation tactics, including shooting people’s homes and businesses, from the very beginning. Unfortunately for them there are a few who are wise to their tactics of physical intimidation and are able to show them the error of their ways. No McHenry County board member is in any immediate physical danger from the public unions. The unions are thoroughly infiltrated and are being watched. As for individual public employees who are part of a union? Lone wolf activity is the great concern. When you match this concern with the amazingly entitled view of a person who lives on their neighbors labors and then expects ever greater benefits the disconnect from reality compounds itself with these people. However, never fear them. They are powerless. The evidence of their lack of power is the threat. Threats are the last domain of a failed argument. Public unions are a failed argument. The People are in charge because it is The People who actually innovate, create, grow and sweat to produce something. Public unions produce nothing. Never fear those who cannot even feed themselves without their neighbor’s help. The death throws of these public unions will likely be violent but ultimately impotent.
If county board members were threatened by unions and their members it is absolutely normal. Unions have been using thug intimidation tactics, including shooting people’s homes and businesses, from the very beginning. Unfortunately for them there are a few who are wise to their tactics of physical intimidation and are able to show them the error of their ways. No McHenry County board member is in any immediate physical danger from the public unions. The unions are thoroughly infiltrated and are being watched. As for individual public employees who are part of a union? Lone wolf activity is the great concern. When you match this concern with the amazingly entitled view of a person who lives on their neighbors labors and then expects ever greater benefits the disconnect from reality compounds itself with these people. However, never fear them. They are powerless. The evidence of their lack of power is the threat. Threats are the last domain of a failed argument. Public unions are a failed argument. The People are in charge because it is The People who actually innovate, create, grow and sweat to produce something. Public unions produce nothing. Never fear those who cannot even feed themselves without their neighbor’s help. The death throes of these public unions will likely be violent but ultimately impotent.
The unions erupted for and cheered for Carolyn Schofield and Anna May Miller the most, yet both voted against the measure?…did the unions boo Schofield and Miller when they voted against the measure?
McHenry County residents benefited from the ‘GROWTH’ Ponzi scheme. During that time, the voters in the County probably voted in favor of the Constitutional guarantee for a 3% per year increase in pensions. During that time the voters voted for an EXTRA Senior Services tax. During that time the voters voted for a Mental Health Board tax. During that time they voted for a new Valley Hi Nursing home. During that time, practically every bond issue for schools, roads etc. was approved by the voters. During that time, a new County building was constructed; a larger than required jail was built. Then we had the recession.
Even now, many Board members still believe the GROWTH will come back if we spend money to speed up traffic on Randall Rd.; spend money on a full interchange for the toll Road in Marengo; spend money on a new salt storage facility; build a new Public services building etc. etc.
Wake up voters! We voted for programs we can no longer afford! We voted for pensions we cannot afford! We have built schools we cannot afford. We have expanded beyond what the taxpayers want to support!
Now some Republicans want to consolidate Townships to even further exacerbate the problem! Wake up!
Yesterday the Board took a step in the correct direction. If we want growth to return to McHenry County and the State, we need to rein in public sector unions. We need to stop spending twenty percent more than we need to on public projects because most of the twenty percent is used by unions to fund campaigns for candidates (mostly Democrat but some Republicans too) who will continue to support Prevailing wage laws and Project Labor Agreements which will guarantee a Detroit type of outcome!
Yesterday the McHenry County Board did what the voters and taxpayers wanted even after being threatened over and over by union representatives.
Pay attention to what Priest is saying.
These are old tactics.
The community needs to be involved and in support of the Illinois turnaround.
Take back McHenry County and the Great State of Illinois.
Those thugs should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
They have had way too much power in our community for far too long.
And please put the blame on yourselves who continued to vote Republican.
It was a Republican governor and congress in the mid 1990’s and also Mayor Daley who put the cola raises in for public unions.
They deceived the public trust.
Our leaders lead us down the path of deception, they were so manipulative and cunning, people didn’t know who was telling the truth.
con on, you are absolutely right on all your points
Oops.
Anna May Miller voted against the Rauner Turnaround Agenda and Carolyn Schofield voted for the measure.
Demand the resignation of Anna May Miller.
Enough is enough!
Con, definitely presents the facts!….
Irrespective of what any of us may think about what was decided yesterday, there cannot — there must not — be threats.
Ever. Ever. EVER.
Illinois statutes address threats made to public officials. See 720 ILCS 5/12-9.
If any of our county board members have been subjected to threats occasioned by performance of their public duties, I hope and trust that actions consistent with this law will be undertaken immediately.
Make it illegal for teachers to strike, even financially wise board members have no power in contract negotiations so whatever the teachers and their unions demand they get.
They hold ALL the aces.
Also tell the public more about who they are electing.
Teachers and administrators and spouses are not good choices for school boards.
They are elected with the help of the teachers and stay on the boards forever.
Parents want their kids in school and will demand the districts end the strikes no matter what it costs all the residents.
Tell parents teachers are their employees and not their buddies.
Lets get our brains to working and the never ending drain on our pockets can be stopped.
Stop the pensions and let the teachers do their own saving like everyone else.
This isn’t the 1920s.
Teachers are not working in sweatshops and they are not horribly underpaid plus they knew what the going rates would be before they signed up.
This brainwashing that teachers are all being taken advantage of is really old baloney.
The audience members, having been given 90 uninterrupted minutes to address the Board, proceeded to hoot, boo, cat call and attempt to drown out Board Members who voiced support of the measure during the Board deliberations.
People should listen to the audio.
I think that several members who had been on the fence changed to a Yes vote on witnessing that.
I have never seen anything like it.
Boos, hoots and cat calls are not threats BUT if there was a threat to anyone I would sign charges.
You never make harmful threats
Voter, back in the 90’s many of us saw Dist. 47 threatening taxpayers, their Union tried to control everyone.
What ever happened to Fran Johnson, she was President of the Board.
We have all heard about Local 150 too.
Would like to hear the audio.
I don’t doubt for one minute what you are saying and that is why I said people have to press charges and make it very public and put it in the news media
Voter, you have not idea how bad it was.
The two reporters that covered this, Jill Janov from the NW Herald quietly left the are and John Landon knew what was going on.
That is one way unions operate.
Forgive this self indulgence please…
I’ve been thinking about how to describe government to the uninitiated and to what the arguments across the political spectrum distill down.
Parasites keep coming to mind.
Parasites are not neutral.
They can be beneficial or destructive.
Occasionally a particular parasite can be one or the other at any given time.
This line of musing can be misinterpreted so please let me be clear.
This is directed at no individual or particular profession but is merely a line of thought based upon how destructive public unions are to a free society.
Trade unions are particularly harmed by public unions because people tend to lump them together and trade unions have been, and continue to be, a legitimate necessary force in the marketplace.
Public unions are another animal altogether.
This is a side path to the initial musing….
Parasites.
All of government in any society throughout history is a parasite on the body of producers.
In a healthy symbiotic relationship the parasite actually helps the producer to be more healthy and have a better chance of survival.
In a destructive relationship the parasite selfishly gorges itself on the producer and sickens or kills them.
Every single fight politically may be drawn down to this balance.
Today The People have precious few representatives in the fight to keep the body healthy.
Every last person paid for with public monies seems to be working very hard to suck as much from the body of the producers as their piggy little bodies can handle.
The few who are trying very hard to strike a balance are lumped in whole with the majority who are working for the destruction of the producing class.
It is a difficult situation for those who are trying to identify the healthy parasites from the little piggies so the destroyers may be removed forever from the body.
Back to public unions…
There is nothing a public union offers which is positive for the producer.
They force good police to deal with weak sticks who should be fired or, worse yet, prosecuted.
They work for terrible school contracts which pay administrators insane compensation/retirement benefits while keeping money from the actual classroom where the teacher is forced to work with little or no backup relative to the per student monies brought in to the district.
They promote the most ignorant people to public office through financial and physical help because those people are easily controlled.
They attempt to smear those who stand against them (Rauner was accused of paying no personal payroll taxes when the reality is he employs thousands who pay millions of dollars he produced through his efforts and investment).
Public unions are the parasite no one should support because they are a parasite which kills everything and everyone around them.
They do not recognize friend or foe.
Sigh….
A book could be written with these rambling musings using defense or roads or fire or health or any number of societal functions as the discussion points….
If the next time you look at a unit of government and measure their usefulness against how much parasitical behavior can be tolerated before they’re destructive you may surprise yourself at how much government can be cut from our lives with actual positive results.
But first and foremost we should work to abolish public unions and remove any members who actually have the gall to threaten others from civil company and freedom.
The teacher unions have used this hoot and holler technique before most commonly during teacher contract negotiations.
There are YouTube videos.
It’s amazing how rude and obnoxious they can can be, cheering and jeering, talking over people, thunderous applause, completely outnumbering and overwhelming taxpayers who at some such meetings are afraid to even speak, completely against the well crafted and projected public servant image.
So the behavior described above is by no means unprecedented.
I heard nobody on the board was actually threatened.
Its a hoax.
The hunger and greed of entitlements