A press release from State Senator Karen McConnaughay: Eligible for on Government Pension, McConnaughay Turns Down Chance for a Second State Senator Karen McConnaughay (R-St. Charles) has voluntarily turned down the legislative pension offered to members of the General Assembly. … Continue reading
The Cook County Treasurer’s Office has put online all sorts of financial information that was previouisly virtually impossible to a taxpayer to find. Let’s look at the Home Rule municipality of Barrington Hills as an example. Let’s look at the … Continue reading
That comment by State Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) pretty much summed up the District 300 Legislative Committee meeting at Jacobs High School Tuesday night. Tryon succinctly summarized the state’s financial situation at the end of the meeting in answer … Continue reading
There are red and white “Vote No on the County Executive Referendum” signs appearing through McHenry County, but yesterday I noticed one that is red and yellow with a big “Vote No” message on it. The amendment has been scathingly … Continue reading
The Republican who ran first in the GOP Primary Election last March has become the target of the only Democrat running for the McHenry County Board in District 3, which runs from southern McHenry all the way north to the … Continue reading
An email arrived from the Better Government Association’s Andy Shaw. It announces the unveiling of its data base of state and local governmental pensions. “We’ve updated the BGA Payroll Database of 500,000 government workers with 2012 numbers and, for the first time, … Continue reading
The pro-abortion Personal PAC launched its second mailing on behalf of Dee Baubien (Ind.-Madigan) in her race against Republican David McSweeney. It arrived on the last workday of the third week of October. It features former George Ryan Lt. Gov. … Continue reading
Here is the first change in the pension law being featured by the Chicago Tribune Sunday on its front page and today on its editorial page. You’ve perhaps heard about the former Mike Madigan and Shirley Madigan employee who worked … Continue reading
At the end of this money, Moody’s, the bond rating company, will start using lower estimated interest rates to calculate pension liabilities for state and local governments, according to the Washington Post. Pension gaps are expected to triple A more … Continue reading
A press release from State Rep. Kent Gaffney: Special Session: No Comprehensive Pension Reform, House Votes to Expel Smith Springfield, IL… On Friday the Governor called a Special Session for lawmakers to consider pension reform to save the State’s growing … Continue reading
At last night Illinois Policy Institute forum on teacher pensions, one question from Northwest Herald News Editor Kevin Lyons had to do with House Minority Leader Tom Cross’ having characterized a shift in tax burden from the state taxpayer to … Continue reading
I went to the Illinois Policy Institute’s Pension forum. Got there a little late and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was over an hour after it started. Representing the Illinois Education Association was Crystal Lake High School teacher … Continue reading
A press release from the Illinois Policy Institute: Illinois Policy Institute to host debate on teacher pension reform Debate 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14 at McHenry County College in northwest suburban Crystal Lake CHICAGO (Aug. 13, 2012) – On Tuesday, … Continue reading
A group calling itself “Patriotic Veterans” just called to tell me that there is an attempt to place the unfunded liability of teacher pensions on real estate taxpayers’ backs. It said the politicians should retire at 65. (That would have … Continue reading
A press release from State Senator Dan Duffy: On the last night of legislative session in Springfield, when the clock was ticking towards midnight, President Cullerton called his “pension reform” bill for a vote. President Cullerton’s pension reform bill didn’t … Continue reading
An email from State Rep. Mike Tryon: The final week of the May legislative session in Springfield ended with many good bills headed to the Governor, but with no meaningful pension reform in place to stabilize our state’s pension systems. … Continue reading
A press release from State Senator Pam Althoff: Althoff: Shifting pension risk onto local schools wrong approach SPRINGFIELD, IL. – State Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry) says a pension proposal being advanced in Springfield that shifts costs onto suburban and Downstate … Continue reading
I have to say I am disappointed that Crystal Lake District 47 has no idea of how much it might cost to shift the financing of teacher pensions from state taxpayers to local taxpayers. In a Freedom of Information Request, … Continue reading
The year the State of Illinois decided to improved the pension system of state employees, Missouri took action on its employee pension system, too. The pension was quite poor compared to other states. Governor Jim Edgar’s administration and the AFSMCE … Continue reading
Signs like the one you see above are all over Springfield this past weekend. Illegally posted, but why should those opposing budget cuts follow the law anymore than political candidates do. … Continue reading
