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
Category Archives: IEA
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
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
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
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
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
This morning I received a call from former Governor Jim Edgar. He made a pitch for his former Chief of Staff Kirk Dillard. Edgar said that Dillard “understood how to get spending under control.” Edgar, however, wasn’t the only one … Continue reading
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
Read the following from the Illinois Education, an organization that has never seen a tax it didn’t like: Signature drive is on for “A Better Illinois” IEA is working to collect 100,000 signatures over the next six weeks in an … Continue reading
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 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
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
A press release from the District 300 School Board: BOARD RESPONDS TO TEACHERS UNION IMPASSE On Monday, November 5, 2012, LEAD 300 declared impasse in collective bargaining. By definition, the declaration of impasse implies that the teachers union is not … Continue reading
Here’s a YouTube just out from ChampionNewsOnline wishing Mike Madigan a nice day. It made me smile and might amuse you, too. If you can’t make the above work, click here. … 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
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
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
Filed Saturday with the Illinois State Board of Elections is the receipt of $17,000 by State Rep. Kent Gaffney in his effort to fend off the challenges of David McSweeney and Danielle Rowe. Here’s where the money came from: $10,000 … Continue reading
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