McHenry County Blog

Jim Tobin’s National Taxpayers United of Illinois has revealed the top 50 pensions for the General Assembly Retirement Fund.

It doesn’t have many pensioners, but the legislative retirement fund has some big payouts.

Part of the reason is that statewide elected officials can opt in.

While he was in office, for instance, Governor Jim Thompson announced that he would be in the same pension fund that regular state employees paid into.  Right before leaving office that changed.  He transferred his pension credits to the GA Retirement System.

Indeed many of the largest pensions you see below are the result of an ex-legislator getting a well-paying job for a while and transferring in the pension credits in their new public pension fund back to the more lucrative legislative system.

Tobin’s press release follows:

TOP 50 GA PENSIONS REVEAL MILLION DOLLAR PAYOUTS AS TAX INCREASE LOOMS

CHICAGO–Jim Tobin, President of National Taxpayers United of Illinois (NTUI), today released the latest pension study of pension researcher Bill Zettler: the Top Fifty pensions received by former members of the Illinois General Assembly.

“Governor Quinn and the lame duck General Assembly are desperate to increase tax revenues any way they can to ensure that these outrageous, lavish pensions are available to themselves when they retire.

“Under the current pension program, General Assembly members are guaranteed to be millionaires if they can collect for only eight to ten years.  Protecting this rite of passage has become their highest priority, despite the terrible financial situation in which most Illinoisans find themselves.

“Under the guise of securing the financial future of the Illinois general fund, Quinn and his conspirators are trying to push any tax increases that they can.”

“If Quinn can’t get HB 174 with the 67% income tax increase through the house, he will push to get a 33% income tax increase passed.

“At the same time, there are efforts to increase the gasoline tax by an unknown amount, the cigarette tax by $1 per pack, and a new 7-10% sales tax on 39 services.

“The primary objective is to pump 15 billion taxpayer dollars out of taxpayer pockets and into the pension and payroll funds of the robber barons that are bankrupting the great state of Illinois, not to secure the financial future as they would have us believe.”

“Do you recognize any of these pension millionaires? Figures are as of 10/1/2010.  A complete list can be viewed at www.ntui.org.
Mo. Pension         Yearly Pension         Total Pension Paid So Far
Arthur Berman                     $16,459               $197,503           $1,449,640
Judy Barr Topinka              $12,144                 $145,727            $402,229
Jim Edgar                           $10,910                 $130,925             $1,106,372
James R. Thompson           $10,601                 $127,215             $1,547,836
James “Pate” Philip             $10,551                 $126,615             $713,029
Dawn Clark Netsch             $10,143                 $121,720             $1,476,711
Walter Dudycz                     $7,661                 $91,937                $449,128

“Jim Edgar and James R. Thompson engineered the largest tax increases ever passed in Illinois. Arthur Berman was the author of the Berman Tax Increase Amendment. Dawn Clark Netsch never met a tax she didn’t like.”

“I urge members of the Illinois General Assembly to vote in the interest of the constituents they serve and not their own best interest.”

How do legislators manage to hike their pensions so much?

Some get a short-term position paying a lot more than they received in their last year as a state legislator. Former State Senator John Friedland, for example, was hired as a lobbyist by the Elgin Sanitary District for a couple of months as a hefty salary. That boosted his base salary.

Add three percent extra each year, which all on public pensions in Illinois receive and it mounts up over time.

Others like Terry Stezco lose an election and get a well-paying local governmental job. In his case, Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan hired him.

Others get appointed to head state departments. Chuck Hartke, for instance, was appointed Director of the Department of Agriculture.

All can transfer pension credits from the new pension system and their final salaries–upon which their pension is based–back into the General Assembly Retirement System.

Sunday’s Chicago Tribune had a front page story that seems to have been inspired by two Catholic nuns not being able to talked to illegal aliens detained there.

It seems Sheriff Keith Nygren thought that the services of his award-winning chaplain, Michael Love, were sufficient, but Sisters Pat Murphy and JoAnn Persch didn’t.

Rebuffed, the two champions of immigrant rights went to Springfield and got state law changed so they could provide conversation and counseling to those detained.

The story, by Margaret Ramirez, relates how Sister Pat Murphy buttonholed former Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) and laid a guilt trip on him.

The bill passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly without a negative vote.

Interspersed in the story are the type of separation stories that played out in my legislative office during the 1990′s, especially after INS raided the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn. Fortunately, I had Pete Castillo as my legislative assistant to handle such cases. The one I remember best is a man’s coming in with a young child and a baby after his wife had been shipped to some regional detention center before the McHenry County Jail started accepting detainees.

In one of the two photos in the story, you can clearly see “McHenry County Jail” is written on the back of the orange jump suits.

= = = = =
I thought that I and the young Chinese politicians I took to the McHenry County Jail two years ago as part of an exchange trip arranged by the American Council of Young Political Leaders were being show the immigration detention floor until I read the comments under this story.

Now I’m not sure.

You will remember that the day before Rod Blagojevich was arrested by the FBI, he let loose with this quote:

“I don’t believe there’s any cloud that hangs over me. I think there’s nothing but sunshine hanging over me.”

This morning on “Meet the Press” that cloud blew into sight…again.

The broadcast came on the heels of the Chicago Sun-Times publication of a front page article saying Reid had called Blagojevich offering advice on his U.S. Senate pick.

Before he got arrested and before he picked Roland Burris.

According to the New York Times, Reid said,

“This is part of Blagojevich’s cloud. He’s making all this up. For anyone to suggest anything racial, is part of the Blagojevich spin.”

What’s our governor supposedly making up?

The contents of this Chicago Sun-Times article, which says Reid told Blagojevich he didn’t want three black male politicians appointed to replace President-Elect Barack Obama (Senate President Emil Jones and Congressmen Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson, Jr.), but two while female politicians (Attorney General Lisa Madigan and former congressional candidate and now Illinois Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth) would be just fine.

If the sources of the article trace back to Blagojevich, as Reid claims, then it is another appeal to a potential black jury to vote acquittal at the trial following the expected April 7th indictment.

And, if you wonder where the cartoon chicken head of Blagojevich came from, here’s the answer.

You will remember that the day before Rod Blagojevich was arrested by the FBI, he let loose with this quote:

“I don’t believe there’s any cloud that hangs over me. I think there’s nothing but sunshine hanging over me.”

This morning on “Meet the Press” that cloud blew into sight…again.

The broadcast came on the heels of the Chicago Sun-Times publication of a front page article saying Reid had called Blagojevich offering advice on his U.S. Senate pick.

Before he got arrested and before he picked Roland Burris.

According to the New York Times, Reid said,

“This is part of Blagojevich’s cloud. He’s making all this up. For anyone to suggest anything racial, is part of the Blagojevich spin.”

What’s our governor supposedly making up?

The contents of this Chicago Sun-Times article, which says Reid told Blagojevich he didn’t want three black male politicians appointed to replace President-Elect Barack Obama (Senate President Emil Jones and Congressmen Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson, Jr.), but two while female politicians (Attorney General Lisa Madigan and former congressional candidate and now Illinois Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth) would be just fine.

If the sources of the article trace back to Blagojevich, as Reid claims, then it is another appeal to a potential black jury to vote acquittal at the trial following the expected April 7th indictment.

And, if you wonder where the cartoon chicken head of Blagojevich came from, here’s the answer.

The big news for 26th state senate candidate Bill Gentes, the Democratic Party mayor of Round Lake, was the $75,000 he snagged from the two leading candidates to replace Emil Jones for Illinois Senate President.

What did have to spend to pry that amount loose?

He started July with $13,870 and raised $45,552.69 before he hit the $75,000 Senate Presidency Jackpot.

In the pre-election filing, Gentes reports receiving $9,100 from Personal PAC, the radical pro-abortion campaign group. Until the Senate President hopefuls opened their checkbooks, it was Gentes biggest contributor. In addition, he just reported another $11,493.80 from Personal PAC for two mailing done by Consair Equipment & Systems of Cary. One cost $2,500; the other almost $9,000.

Despite that, local pro-life forces seem to be sitting out the state senate race.

Personal PAC probably phoned every woman in the district asking if she were pro-choice. All who said, “Yes,” can expect a mailing right before the election. Probably featuring a coat hanger.

The group also seems to have put on a fund raiser for Gentes in Chicago.

Contributions from other political action committees included in the pre-election report and since total $29,480.87 and include

$7,000 – State Sen. John Cullerton in addition to the other $50,000
$7,500 – Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 COPE
$5,000 – Illinois Federation of Teachers
$4,631.49 – Actblue Illinois
$3,000 – Illinois Trial Lawyers Assn PAC
$2,500 – Friends of AJ Wilhelmi, Joliet
$1,000 – SEIU Local 73 Bi-Partisan PAC
$1,000 – Friends of Dave Koehler, Peoria
$500 – Citizens for Gregory Harris (Chicago)
$500 – Construction and General Laborers’ District Council PAEL
$500 – IBEW Local 150 Committee for Responsible Government
$500 – Illinois State AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education
$300 – Heat and Frost Insulators Pac Fund
$250 – Iron Workers Local 63 Pol Action Lg

Of minor interest is that ActBlue Illinois appears to skim 3.75% off the top of each contribution.

Contributions listed from individuals on the state report really mean individuals and business who don’t give through a political action committee. Gentes received $5,250 from such sources. They follow:

$750 – Magee Negele & Associates P.C. Of Round Lake
$500 – Fred Abdulia of Waukegan
$500 – Ancel Glink Diamond Bush DiCianni & Krafthefer P.C. (municipal attorneys)
$500 – Berger Excavating Contractors Inc. of Wauconda
$500- Blue Star Energy Services of Chicago
$500 – Alan Valentin of Johnsburg
$250 – AFV Management of Round Lake Beach
$250 – Humana of Louisville, KY
$250 – Law Offices of 12-05 Albert R. Pino of McHenry
$250 – Sanford Stein of Chicago
$200 – Campanella & Sons Inc. of Wadsworth
$200 – Gary L. Dowty of Wauconda
$200 – Lake County Grading Company LLC of Libertyville
$200 – Raymond Majeski of Chicago
$200 – Zeigler Associates Ltd. Of Round Lake

An addition $1,703 came from contributors who remain unidentified because they were each under $150.

Not only has Gentes released information about his fund raising, but he has also sent advice on going door-to-door:
Five Rules for walking doors!

1. Walk the hilly precincts early in the process.
2. Wear sun screen.
3. Step back from the door when the dog charges.
4. Step further back if the screen door appears flimsy.
5. Take a map.

The big news for 26th state senate candidate Bill Gentes, the Democratic Party mayor of Round Lake, was the $75,000 he snagged from the two leading candidates to replace Emil Jones for Illinois Senate President.

What did have to spend to pry that amount loose?

He started July with $13,870 and raised $45,552.69 before he hit the $75,000 Senate Presidency Jackpot.

In the pre-election filing, Gentes reports receiving $9,100 from Personal PAC, the radical pro-abortion campaign group. Until the Senate President hopefuls opened their checkbooks, it was Gentes biggest contributor. In addition, he just reported another $11,493.80 from Personal PAC for two mailing done by Consair Equipment & Systems of Cary. One cost $2,500; the other almost $9,000.

Despite that, local pro-life forces seem to be sitting out the state senate race.

Personal PAC probably phoned every woman in the district asking if she were pro-choice. All who said, “Yes,” can expect a mailing right before the election. Probably featuring a coat hanger.

The group also seems to have put on a fund raiser for Gentes in Chicago.

Contributions from other political action committees included in the pre-election report and since total $29,480.87 and include

$7,000 – State Sen. John Cullerton in addition to the other $50,000
$7,500 – Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 COPE
$5,000 – Illinois Federation of Teachers
$4,631.49 – Actblue Illinois
$3,000 – Illinois Trial Lawyers Assn PAC
$2,500 – Friends of AJ Wilhelmi, Joliet
$1,000 – SEIU Local 73 Bi-Partisan PAC
$1,000 – Friends of Dave Koehler, Peoria
$500 – Citizens for Gregory Harris (Chicago)
$500 – Construction and General Laborers’ District Council PAEL
$500 – IBEW Local 150 Committee for Responsible Government
$500 – Illinois State AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education
$300 – Heat and Frost Insulators Pac Fund
$250 – Iron Workers Local 63 Pol Action Lg

Of minor interest is that ActBlue Illinois appears to skim 3.75% off the top of each contribution.

Contributions listed from individuals on the state report really mean individuals and business who don’t give through a political action committee. Gentes received $5,250 from such sources. They follow:

$750 – Magee Negele & Associates P.C. Of Round Lake
$500 – Fred Abdulia of Waukegan
$500 – Ancel Glink Diamond Bush DiCianni & Krafthefer P.C. (municipal attorneys)
$500 – Berger Excavating Contractors Inc. of Wauconda
$500- Blue Star Energy Services of Chicago
$500 – Alan Valentin of Johnsburg
$250 – AFV Management of Round Lake Beach
$250 – Humana of Louisville, KY
$250 – Law Offices of 12-05 Albert R. Pino of McHenry
$250 – Sanford Stein of Chicago
$200 – Campanella & Sons Inc. of Wadsworth
$200 – Gary L. Dowty of Wauconda
$200 – Lake County Grading Company LLC of Libertyville
$200 – Raymond Majeski of Chicago
$200 – Zeigler Associates Ltd. Of Round Lake

An addition $1,703 came from contributors who remain unidentified because they were each under $150.

Not only has Gentes released information about his fund raising, but he has also sent advice on going door-to-door:
Five Rules for walking doors!

1. Walk the hilly precincts early in the process.
2. Wear sun screen.
3. Step back from the door when the dog charges.
4. Step further back if the screen door appears flimsy.
5. Take a map.

Bill Gentes must be smiling today.

In fact, he may still be dancing the Snoopy happy dance.

Late yesterday afternoon, he reported receiving $75,000.

$50,000 came from The Senate Democratic Victory Fund, run by Chicago State Senator John Cullerton. Cullerton, generally considered an ally of House Speaker Mike Madigan on whose leadership team he used to serve, hopes to succeed retiring Senate President Emil Jones. Cullerton’s PAC’s web site announces an October 2nd fund raiser with sponsorships going to $5,000.

James Clayborne, of St. Clair County, another of the state senators who hopes to replace Emil Jones as Senate President, transferred $25,000 from his campaign fund.

It is intriguing that both would contribute to Gentes, considering, if elected, he can only vote for one person for Senate President.

Gentes is running against Dan Duffy, who cut his political teeth with the NFIB.

Bill Gentes must be smiling today.

In fact, he may still be dancing the Snoopy happy dance.

Late yesterday afternoon, he reported receiving $75,000.

$50,000 came from The Senate Democratic Victory Fund, run by Chicago State Senator John Cullerton. Cullerton, generally considered an ally of House Speaker Mike Madigan on whose leadership team he used to serve, hopes to succeed retiring Senate President Emil Jones. Cullerton’s PAC’s web site announces an October 2nd fund raiser with sponsorships going to $5,000.

James Clayborne, of St. Clair County, another of the state senators who hopes to replace Emil Jones as Senate President, transferred $25,000 from his campaign fund.

It is intriguing that both would contribute to Gentes, considering, if elected, he can only vote for one person for Senate President.

Gentes is running against Dan Duffy, who cut his political teeth with the NFIB.

I speculated yesterday that retiring Illinois Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) would retire from his legislative post, take a job with best buddy and Governor Rod Blagojevich’s administration, then resign with a higher pension base than his current $95,313 and get the pension he thinks he deserves.

Then, he can take the job that everyone thinks he will get with newly-elected President Barack Obama.

With his current final salary, upon which pensions of those in the General Assembly Retirement System are based, Jones can expect to get $81,016 the first year, if he requests it right after his senate service ends, presumably next January. (85% times $95,313.)

Twelve months after his first check, a calculation called “accrual” by the pension administrators kicks in.

An additional amount equal to 3 percentage point times the number of years since Jones was eligible for retirement will be added to his annual pension.

His colleague and close ally State Senator Rickey Hendon revealed on TV that Jones had 36 years of pension credits.

That seems to count each of his legislative years.

I heard that he was a city sewer inspector. If those years were before he served in the legislature, the number to be multiplied by 3 percentage points would be larger.

Anyway, at minimum, Emil Jones’ pension would increase by 16 times 3 percentage points.

That’s 48%.

So, the January after next, Jones could expect an extra $38,877 a year resulting from not having retired after twenty years employment in government.

Totaling $119,904 per year.

But it would really be a bit larger than that because next July 1st, Jones, along with all other public pensioners, will get their annual 3% “cost of living” increase.

Of course, if Jones delayed his retirement a month, he could receive a much, much larger pension increase a year into retirement…if Blagojevich gives him a job paying, say, $150,000, and he retires using that as his pension salary base in February.

85% times $150,000 equals $127,500.

$127,500 times 148% equals $188,700.

And, as I mentioned above, if Jones were on a public payroll before he took office as state representative in 1973, the 48% would be an addition 3 percentage points times that number of years.

I speculated yesterday that retiring Illinois Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) would retire from his legislative post, take a job with best buddy and Governor Rod Blagojevich’s administration, then resign with a higher pension base than his current $95,313 and get the pension he thinks he deserves.

Then, he can take the job that everyone thinks he will get with newly-elected President Barack Obama.

With his current final salary, upon which pensions of those in the General Assembly Retirement System are based, Jones can expect to get $81,016 the first year, if he requests it right after his senate service ends, presumably next January. (85% times $95,313.)

Twelve months after his first check, a calculation called “accrual” by the pension administrators kicks in.

An additional amount equal to 3 percentage point times the number of years since Jones was eligible for retirement will be added to his annual pension.

His colleague and close ally State Senator Rickey Hendon revealed on TV that Jones had 36 years of pension credits.

That seems to count each of his legislative years.

I heard that he was a city sewer inspector. If those years were before he served in the legislature, the number to be multiplied by 3 percentage points would be larger.

Anyway, at minimum, Emil Jones’ pension would increase by 16 times 3 percentage points.

That’s 48%.

So, the January after next, Jones could expect an extra $38,877 a year resulting from not having retired after twenty years employment in government.

Totaling $119,904 per year.

But it would really be a bit larger than that because next July 1st, Jones, along with all other public pensioners, will get their annual 3% “cost of living” increase.

Of course, if Jones delayed his retirement a month, he could receive a much, much larger pension increase a year into retirement…if Blagojevich gives him a job paying, say, $150,000, and he retires using that as his pension salary base in February.

85% times $150,000 equals $127,500.

$127,500 times 148% equals $188,700.

And, as I mentioned above, if Jones were on a public payroll before he took office as state representative in 1973, the 48% would be an addition 3 percentage points times that number of years.