Barb Wheeler at the podium of the Midwest Conference of Women Legislators.
Wednesday night State Rep. Barb Wheeler used an automated poll mainly to find out how her constituents stand on wedge issues.
There was a question about guns.
There was a question about abortion.
Maybe I missed one that a reader can supply.
Then, there was a strangely mixed question about whether the person on the phone would be in favor of raising taxes (but I don’t think the word “tax” was raised) for “roads, technology and infrastructure.”
Maybe I shouldn’t deduce from this that talk in Springfield is bringing up in the final question “goodies” that could be given to constituents after they get whacked with a big tax increase.
There was no mention of the retirement tax that Wheeler floated n the Northwest Herald.
Perhaps there would have been had she a primary opponent.
Wheeler= A total waste of oxygen.
Just look at who she supports! Again, the company you keep reveals a LOT!
Any politician that doesn’t talk pension reform is wasting our time and money.
Here is why.
Pensions are the #1 fiscal problem.
Legislative pension benefit hikes + salary hikes, hiked the pensions.
Go back to the inception of the pensions, most of them were almost always underfunded, yet salary and benefit hikes occurred.
Legislative retiree benefit hikes and local retiree benefit hikes also guaranteed in the state constitution.
No hikes should have occurred (well some minimal salary hikes so those workers didn’t bear all the burden) while pensions and retiree healthcare was underfunded.
That is the scam.
The more underfunded pensions in general have the more lucrative benefits, with IMRF being among the best funded.
That is no coincidence.
IMRF benefit hikes are felt sooner due to the fact IMRF themselves can enforce the annual contribution.
That would have been a great idea for all the pension systems but is a bad idea now for those way underfunded because now the dam broke and the benefits are now largely unaffordable.
That is more of the scam….the funding of benefit hikes could be largely kicked down the road for just about every pension other than IMRF.
And IMRF benefits are very good.
So now we are in a financial quagmire where everyone will likely have to either get less pension benefits or pay more taxes (yes we know public sector workers pay taxes too), and some both.
So the best plan is to repeal the pension sentence that was approved on December 15, 1970.
That starts with the legislature passing a House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment, or a Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment, which the Governor signs, it gets placed on a ballot, voters approve, then current and future benefits can be cut.
What else can be done.
Local governments can be allowed to declare bankruptcy, including school districts.
The public sector unions who lobbied to hike benefits while pensions and retiree healthcare was underfunded shot future workers and taxpayers in the foot, even while their foot kicked the can down the road.
Not that they are entirely to blame but they are a big part of the problem.
Workers deserve rights but we need to live within our fiscal means.
So just because public sector workers will get mad if we work on this problem doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work on the problem, the freight train is not going away, who cares about the tricycle.
@Landon Freize is right.
The company you keep says a lot about your character.
Funny how Barb used to listen to Joe and Randy Dunley but now Ron and Ed seem to be the ones she pals around with and listens to the most.
But she is flirting with disaster and taxpayer wallets will be the ones suffering the most!
She is like a teenager enamored with “bad boys” aka liberal policies.
Maybe someday conservatism will regain its appeal for her.
Mark is correct.
Any IL State elected official who does not make pension reform the center piece of his or her fiscal platform is simply insulting your intelligence . . . then again, for some, maybe not.
The pension time bomb is all candidates should be talking about and Illinois voters should be electing candidates who establish he or she is versed in pension related mattters.
unfortunately, these individuals are far and few.
For those of you who attended the forum last night or could not appear, in the 26th District for IL State Senate we have the opportunity to elect this rare commodity and his name is MARTIN MCLAUGHLIN.
He had the numbers and answers last night and can speak intelligently and friendly to begin to push this boulder uphill. . .
It is a good thing that she wants to know how her constituents feel about the issues.
Frankly, I’m increasingly impressed with Rep. Wheeler.
I think she was initially “in a bit over her head”.
However, she has grown in the job and is responsive & effective.
Any time I see her in the public, she is approachable and friendly.
This can’t be said for others like Tryon, McSweeny, and particularly Althoff who seem conceited, distant and frosty.
When you see the politicians ask them about pensions.
Tell me about pensions.
What is your pension plan.
What do you think can be done.
What do you think should be done.
What is the unfunded pension liability and retiree healthcare liability for each of the systems in your political district (most taxpayers and politicians know next to nothing about retiree healthcare)…. hiked retiree healthcare benefits are also guaranteed in the state constitution from being diminished or impaired.
Barb Wheeler is not in the 66th District and is running unopposed.