Rahm organizes a mob of pension killers each will of whom will receive a pension.
The Tribune reported that Rahm gathered a mob of local mayors at a press conference to call for breaking the pension promise, the contract with public employees.
Mayor Daley left Chicago City Hall collecting $180,000 a year on his mayoral and other public pensions.
A teacher in Illinois receives on the average of $46,000. Many receive less than $20,000 a year. No social security, even if they are fully vested.
Zorn and Brown on pensions. Round 3.
This is the third part of the exchange between the Tribune’s Eric Zorn and retired teacher and blogger Glen Brown. Zorn admits he has little knowledge of the Illinois Constitution but thinks we should ignore the part that says teacher pensions cannot be “diminished or impaired.” Brown explains the rules.
To Glen,
As you know, there is substantial and vigorous disagreement among very learned lawyers about the meaning of the pension clause in the Illinois Constitution. Does it mean only that benefits already earned shall not be diminished? Or that benefits earned in the future must be calculated based on the most advantageous past pension formula?My view, which is based neither on case law nor an educated analysis of Constitutional intent, is that future pension benefits based on future service ought to be as re-negotiable as is future salary based on future service.I can see why you don’t like my view — it suggests pension plans shouldn’t be the secure super-
Pension fatigue?
Perhaps the We Are One coalition or the IEA Government Relations office can give some data.
Or maybe they don’t want to.
But here is what I’m hearing.
We are not getting the numbers in response to this year’s latest assault on teacher pensions that we got last year. The back home lobbying effort that the IEA called for is working some places and not others.
Last year was historic.
By some estimates, over 100,000 phone calls and emails were made and sent to legislators in response to the pension killing SB512.
But it’s just not happening this time. At least that’s what I’m hearing from locals.
It’s just too quiet.
Was it partly because of the failure of the IEA to mobilize a Lobby Day in Springfield? That has always charged up our folks in the past. Which is why members from our local went to Springfield anyway last week.
Are members just tired of the fight.
Pension fatigue?
Man. I hope not.
This session of the General Assembly runs through May.
Then there will be a veto session.
We have to step it up. Make the calls. Cause some noise.
This is no time to get tired.