The most dangerous times for taxpayers are

• the last week of a regular session
• right before a General Assembly adjourns for the last time when lame ducks have absolutely nothing at stake

I remember the one in January of 1993.

I was about to be sworn in for the start of my second eight-year run.

The most egregious piece of legislation enacted was one that took the burden off local school districts to provide health insurance to retired teachers.

There was about $70-80 million sitting in some fund that the sponsor argued would be sufficient.

Having run employee benefits in Illinois Department of Central Manaement Services, I knew that was an absurd contention.

That money would be gone the first year.

And, since then, just ask a retired or current teacher if they are satisfied with the result. 

Legislation was subsequently enacted to force existing teachers to pay more.

The issue was still alive in 2010, as you can see from the first question in this legislative questionnaire from the Illinois Retired Teachers Association filed out by State Rep. Mike Tryon.

The lame duck session is when really bad legislation gets passed.

Watching what happens will disabuse anyone of any memories of what was taught in high school about how legislatures should operate.