In today’s Chicago Tribune, two State Representatives get coverage for legislation they have introduced regarding teachers who sexually abuse those in their class rooms. State Rep David McSweeney made the front page with a description of the bill he and … Continue reading
Category Archives: Teacher Pension
Prairie Grove Grade s School District 46 recently came to a new agreement with its teacher’s union on a new two-year contract through August 2020. The new agreement is posted on its web site. The old agreement has been removed … Continue reading
The following article is reprinted with the permission of the Illinois News Network. You will note it was written by former Northwest Herald Editor Brett Rowland> INN investigation: McHenry County schools continue to pad pensions, pay $620k in penalties for … Continue reading
Jake Griffin reports in the Daily Herald about mandatory payments by school districts for final year teacher raises in excess of 6 percent per year. Here’s what was written about Algonquin’s District 300 Unit School District: From 2015 through 2017, … Continue reading
When Stae Rep. David McSweeney heard Governor Bruce Rauner say that he favored House Speaker Mike Madigan’s idea to shift the cost of teacher pensions from state government to local school Districts he introduced a resolution in opposition. Resolutions don’t … Continue reading
State Rep. David McSweeney took up the fight to prevent the enactment of the shift of burden for teacher pensions from state taxpayers to local real estate tax payers. He has introduced House Resolution 27, which “States the opinion of … Continue reading
To lessen the ongoing burden of paying pension costs of retired teachers, Governor Bruce Rauner wlll support House Speaker Mike Madigan’s idea to force local school district taxpayers to foot the bill. That’s what the Chicago Tribune is reporting today. … Continue reading
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
I noticed that the Northwest Herald did not report the vote on the three-years of 4% raises passed by the Crystal Lake High School Board on Tuesday night. The vote was 6-1. Newly-elected Rosemary Kurtz was the only one to … Continue reading
From Reboot Illinois: 18. Norman Wetzel • Title: District Superintendent • Employer: CUSD 300 • Annual Pension: $246,521 • Employee Contributions: $179,203 • Age at Retirement: 55 (Retired June 2002) • Pension Paid to Date: $2.50 million • *Estimated Lifetime … Continue reading
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
Retired teachers outside of Chicago received the following email from the Teachers Retirement System: TRS learned today that pension payments will continue to be paid even if the state does not have a comprehensive budget in place for fiscal year … Continue reading
The following email was sent to retired teachers yesterday: Welcome to July! As you know, Illinois’ state government begins fiscal year 2016 without a comprehensive state budget. As the stalemate in the state Capitol continues, we’d like to remind you … Continue reading
A press release from State Rep. David McSweeney: McSweeney Says Supreme Court Pension Decision Means Opposition to Cost Shift Needed More Than Ever Cary, IL… In response to the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the state’s pension reform … Continue reading
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
The Cook County State’s Attorney has cut a deal with retired West Harvey-Dixmoor Elementary School Superintendent Alex Boyd. But, he won’t get to keep his pension because he was allowed to plead guilty only to felony counts of official misconduct. … Continue reading
The heat must have gotten too hot the secrecy squad in Vicky Smith’s McHenry County College kitchen, because the faculty union contract has finally been posted in the board packet. You can find it starting on page 148. That’s a … Continue reading
Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47’s Board approved the new teachers’ contract by a 7-0 vote, but not before Nancy Gonsiorek expressed displeasure with pre-retirement incentives. They’re “really hard to swallow,” she said. “When we give big raises to teachers … Continue reading
Tonight Crystal Lake Grade School District 47 Board is meeting at 7 at Canterbury School southwest of the intersection of Main Street and Virginia Street Road to consider the contract worked out with its teachers’ union. Another contract has also … Continue reading
A summary of the Crystal Lake Grade School District 47 contract that will be considered by the school board tonight at 7 at Canterbury School popped into my inbox this morning. AGREEMENT BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICT 47 BOARD OF EDUCATION AND … Continue reading