Did Serwatka Taxpayer PAC Contribution Pledge Lead to Teacher Union Mega-Contribution to Schofield?

I awoke yesterday morning with the thought that a campaign promise by 66th District Republican Primary Election candidate Paul Serwatka may have stimulated the biggest teachers union in the state to give 66th District opponent Carolyn Schofield $53,900. Serwatka’s press … Continue reading

Serwatka Pledges Salary to Fight Property Tax Hikes

There are three reasons people run for office, the Field Director for the Republican National Committee told a campaign management school held in Jacksonville in about 1968, mid-way through my term as McHenry County Treasurer. He helped us to remember … Continue reading

Tribune Gets It

I have written periodically of how teacher unions during the 1990’s encouraged legislative leaders to take money governors earmarked for pension payments and put it into current teacher salaries through the State Aid to Education program. Articles on this subject … Continue reading

Franks Sat. Fundraiser Hosts

State Rep. Jack Franks is holding his annual breakfast fundraiser this Saturday morning at Donley’s south of Union. The price is $40 per person, but the Democrat is willing to accept more. $2,500 is listed on the back. Committee members … Continue reading

Teachers Union Wanted It Both Ways

Crain’s Chicago Business has a really good article by Dave McKinney about how Illinois got into the pension mess that now exits. I found this particularly insightful: Education Association President Cinda Klickna was not in union leadership in 2005. But she … Continue reading

Part 11 – Who’s Got What

Today’s Political Action Committee is one run by the teachers of Crystal Lake High School District 155. It spent $3.348.25 in the lead up to the April school elections. The election was on April 7th, so it is likely that … Continue reading

The Teachers’ Union Role in the Pension Shortfall

You will perhaps remember my writing that when a Governor presents his education budget it comes in three parts: higher education k-12 pensions In the 1990’s (at least) the IFT (Illinois Federation  of Teachers) and IEA (Illinois Education Association) lobbyists … Continue reading

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

Two Crystal Lake Teachers’ Unions Fund McHenry Democratic Party County Board Candidate

When I reported on Arne Waltmire’s candidacy for the McHenry County Board from District 4 (McHenry, Richmond and Spring Grove), I told of his running seventh out of nine for the McHenry County College Board in 2013. Having taken a … 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

Dillard Gets Teacher Union Endorsements, Plus Those of Althoff & Tryon

I’ve been expecting a press release announcing that the two big teacher unions have endorsed Kirk Dillard for Governor, but none has arrived. Actually, it was a trifecta. He has been endorsed by the Illinois Teachers Association Illinois Education Associaiton … Continue reading