Teachers’ Union Elects Two of Three to Crystal Lake High School Board

Teachers at Crystal Lake High School District had three candidates they wanted to elect. They were Amy Blazier Brian Pelz Adam Guss They succeed in placing two out of three on the District 155 Board, plus one they most wanted … Continue reading

Tribune Pins Tail on Teacher Unions

Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune editorial was about the teacher pension problem. Too many claims on too few dollars. As regular readers know, teacher union lobbyists regularly urged legislators to skip making payments for pensions in order to increase State Aid … Continue reading

Rauner’s Handout to Legislators on Policy Agenda & Public Union Conflict of Interest

The following two sheets of paper were what Illinois State Representatives and Senators were reading as Governor Bruce Rauner was delivering his State of the State Speech Wednesday. First the policy pitches: 1. Economic Growth and Jobs Package Pass a … Continue reading

Teacher Union Leader Running for County Board Financed by Teacher Unions

With Republican County Board candidate Chuck Wheeler having his fundraiser in McHenry tonight, I think it might be appropriate to look at what Democratic opponent Arne Waltmire is doing with regard to campaign finances. You may remember that Waltmire, who … Continue reading

Comparing How Schools Spend Our Money, Plus the Richmond-Burton High School Contract Impasse

There is an impasse between the school board and the teachers union in Richmond’s high school district. Each side had to submit the latest version of what it wants to a state web site. The union’s desires can be found … Continue reading

Unions Complicity in Pension Problems

Frequent McHenry County visitor Allen Skillikorn, an East Dundee Village Trustee, has submitted the following piece on our state’s pension problem: Who’s Really To Blame For Illinois’ Pension Mess? By Allen Skillicorn Let’s go back to May 2005. Rod Blagojevich … Continue reading

Teachers Union Sends Pitch for Dillard to School Email Addresses, “Even If You’ve Never Voted Republican Before…”

The Illinois Education Association has endorsed State Senator Kirk Dillard for the Republican nomination for Governor. Champion News discovered that the IEA had made pitches to teachers at school and filed a boatload of Freedom of Information requests. I decided to … Continue reading

Kirk Dillard Featured at Mike Tryon’s Fish Boil

State Rep. Mike Tryon’s annual Huntley Fish Boil was last Thursday. You can see some of the event in the photos provided below by his campaign. The event was held in the outdoor seating area of the Parkside Pub. Political … Continue reading

The Role of Teacher Union Lobbyists in the Pension Debacle

The Southtown has a Phil Kadner column about the negative effects (more later than soon) of shifting the burden of paying teacher pensions from State government to local school districts. He missed one aspect that some may find significant.  I … Continue reading

District 300 Board and Teachers’ Union Ratify New Three-Year Contract

Below is a press release from District 300 about the ratification of the contract that came about after a one-day teachers strike. If you would like to read highlights I picked out of the over 100-page contract, including salary information … Continue reading

IEA Spokesman Too Young To Know His Union’s Role in the Pension Crisis

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

Teachers’ Pensions on Table at MCC Tuesday Night

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

Pat Quinn Tells Truth about Pension Underfunding, But Not Whole Truth

Neil Steinberg adds to the pressure to address the public pension mess Monday morning in a column featuring an interview with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. There is one part that I found interesting, accurate as far as it goes, but … Continue reading

Public Employee Unions’ Response to Quinn’s Pension Proposal

And here’s the public unions’ response: We Are One Illinois statement on Quinn news conference Responding to Gov. Pat Quinn’s news conference on pensions held Friday, April 20, Illinois AFL-CIO president Michael Carrigan issued this statement for the We Are … Continue reading

Might Mike Skala Run for State Representative?

Huntley School Board President certainly has an interest in the legislative process. Just look at the agenda for the District 158 Committee of the Whole meeting coming up June 9th: Skala is the Chairman of the Legislative Committee and giving … Continue reading