Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:
If you are heading to Springfield for the veto session.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts
If you are heading to Springfield for the veto session.
The next TRS meeting will be held in Springfield while the first part of the legislative veto session is taking place. The claims hearings are always closed, so the open meeting will start Wednesday, October 23 at 1:00pm at the TRS office at Washington and Veterans Parkway. - Bob Lyons MEETING NOTICE DATE: October 10, 2013 TO: Board of Trustees FROM: Dick Ingram, Executive Director RE: TRS Meetin
It’s not Petrilli’s fault he is like he is. The data suggest rich people are jerks.
People who know me know that I’m a data driven guy. So when Fordham Institute’s right-philospher Michael Petrilli says the most outrageous things about poor and working people, I chalk it up to what we know from research: Rich people can be a-holes. Take the recent study reported in the New York Times. A growing body of recent research shows that people with the most social power pay scant atte
Keeping retirement weird.
Jessica posted on Facebook yesterday that although she is not a fan of Columbus, she is looking forward to the three-day weekend. Along with my other daughter, Jessica is a teacher. Reading her status I immediately thought that she was going to a conference in Ohio. Since retirement, I often lose track of holidays and days of the week. I forgot that Monday is Columbus day, which for many of my st
From Tim Furman. Byron Sigcho on UNO: Politics and corruption.
Tim Furman is a friend, activist and master of technology. Hi Fred, I’m coordinating a series of talks by the UIC researcher and activist Byron Sigcho in UNO-impacted wards. He’s giving an updated talk about the UNO financial model and its context in the neoliberal phenomenon around the world, as well as the impact of UNO on neighborhoods, and the implications for public education moving forward.
For Illinois state retirees. What if my current doctor does not accept Medicare Advantage?
There is a lot about the switch to Medicare Advantage for Illinois state retirees and teachers that is not yet known. That is why I have been hesitant to comment too much. But many readers have expressed concern about one thing they do know – that their current doctor has told them that they will not take Medicare Advantage. This from State University Annuitants Association: Call Governor Pat Qui
IEA says it is monitoring the situation with CMS.
The Illinois Education Association issued a statement today saying that they are monitoring the dependent auditing of Central Management Services (CMS), and have met with CMS abut Medicare Advantage. I’m also monitoring the situation. Representatives from IEA and other TRIP stakeholder groups met Thursday with the Illinois Department of Central Management Service (CMS) to discuss a number of iss
OCT 10
The IEA Representative Assembly retired delegate vote is coming. I’m running as a delegate. #5 on the ballot.
Last year they forgot to move my membership from active to retired. That meant I couldn’t run as a delegate to the IEA’s state convention, the Representative Assembly. Then they wouldn’t let me on the floor as a representative of the press. This year I couldn’t say I was an “activist” on my candidate statement. They changed it to “advocate.” Recently I received a request from IEA for help on the
Veto session pension deal?
Is the Gang of Ten striving for cooperation. I don’t think so. The Illinois General Assembly veto session is a little more than a week away. The Gang of Ten legislative committee that was charged with coming up with something hasn’t had a full committee meeting since July, although sub-committees have been said to have been meeting. Senate President John Cullerton has abandoned SB2404 which he
Sports section.
Andy Pafko, Don Newcomb and Jackie Robinson, 1951. Andy Pafko is dead. And so are the World Series chances for the Pirates. My Dodgers are still in it. My Pittsburgh Pirates story: In 2008 Anne and I had rented house on the other side of the Lake. I was a delegate to the National Education Association Representative Assembly, our yearly national convention. It was held in Philadelphia. I decide
OCT 09
CMS posts latest information. Not much information.
Perhaps you could tell your readers that CMS just posted this latest information. I’m copying it fyi. Note that if specific information isn’t forthcoming until the end of the month, retirees have just about a month to digest all the information, check with their medical providers to see if they accept one of these plans and make an informed decision. I just talked to two friends, smart, in two
Retiree complaints about CMS continue to mount.
As we reported here in our continuing coverage of the latest demands for dependent eligibility documentation, CMS has delayed the requirement for an IRS transcript because of the Republican shutdown of the federal government. But complaints from retirees are continuing to mount. The Springfield Journal Register is reporting that state representatives are being hit with phone calls. Most of the com
Chicago BOT chief, Patrick Arbor. “My word is my bond.”
Thirty-year tax cheat and former head of the Chicago Board of Trade, Patrick Arbor (2:49 on the video). “My word is my bond,” says former Chicago Board of Trade President Patrick Arbor. We will get back to Patrick Arbor and his words in just a few minutes. But first a quick mention of Archer Daniel Midlands, the industrial food giant that is trying to heist millions of dollars in tax breaks from
OCT 08
CMS/HMS more scary than a Halloween ghoul.
As I have been reporting, in attempt to save money and cut alleged ineligible dependents from retiree health insurance rolls, Central Management Services (CMS) has hired an Arlington, Texas-based cost management firm to audit every claim of a dependent. CMS is an agency that reports directly to Governor Squeezy Quinn who claims God put him on this earth to cut state pensions. Among the required d
The in box. ADM pays more state taxes than you.
Dear Fellow Retirees, There are many reasons why Illinois is in such dire financial straits. I’ve submitted this article to our local press which highlights one of the reasons. -Al Popowits Would it surprise you to know that you pay more in state income tax than does Archer Daniels Midland Corporation? This is true despite the fact that (1) according to the State Constitution, the corporate incom
The in box. GOP State Senator Chapin Rose: “We need more information from the Governor” on retiree health care options.
Dear Friends, As you are no doubt aware, Governor Quinn has decided, once again, to not include Health Alliance in its package of available health providers – this time for retirees. But don’t think that just because you don’t have Health Alliance or aren’t a retiree that you are in the clear. Far from it. Everyone should read this because it applies to all Medicare eligible individuals and thos
How much does a pig weigh?
The Miami Heat’s Shane Battier. A joke: A biologist, a chemist, and a statistician are out hunting. The biologist shoots at a deer and misses five feet to the left. The chemist takes a shot and misses five feet to the right. The statistician yells, “We got ‘em!” Anne and I were having our coffee, our hot cereal and reading the New York Times this morning when she looks up and says, “Everybody i
OCT 07
The in box. We have to help each other now.
Fred, You can play a role in helping to educate people. There are many retirees who do not understand the difference between a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medicare supplement (or Medigap) plan. And the differences are significant. Help them understand. Let people know that there is information at the CMS website. One statement on this site is: “Impacted members who do not elect one of the new Me
What do you think of the proposal for new Illinois retiree health plans? Don’t tell me. Tell them.
As I posted yesterday, I have received a number of messages from Illinois readers with strong opinions about what came out of Central Contracts this big don’t happen unless the Governor says okay. Management Services (CMS) contract options with Medicare Advantage. Here is what I know for sure: There appears to be significant changes. There is a huge amount of information that isn’t known. The
Tony at the Red Line Tap.
“Hey, Klonsky,” Marty mumbled as she arranges the Doritos Cool Ranch tortilla chips on the shelf. “Marty. A friend of mine served me some Pliny the Elder from California. An IPA. You should carry that.” “It’s a west coast thing, Klonsky. Russian River. We can’t get it here. Have a Dog’s Head instead.” “Okay. Where’s Tony?” “Washin’ his hands.” Tony walks out of the men’s room and grabbed the st
OCT 06
Note to Illinois retirees about information posted here about the Medicare Advantage option.
I have received a number of comments that make claims about the new Medicare Advantage option replacing what was available to retirees under TRIP. I simply am not posting those comments until more information comes out from IEA and other official sources. I am aware that there are problems using only those sources. I, like many readers, cannot yet wrap my head around all the changes and I don’t wa
Matt Taibbi RS pension story follow-up. “Democrats in bed with Wall Street in pension theft.”
Rhode Island State Treasurer Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, has declared war on public pensions. AP Photo: Steven Senne Several weeks ago Rolling Stone magazine ran a story by Matt Taibbi which blew the cover off the current massive public pension theft. In a follow-up piece just out, Taibbi discusses the Democratic Party’s role in the pension theft and the goal of turning defined benefit pension
Sunday reads.
Bill Moyers talks about the Chicago Workers Cooperative – organizing workers to bring down the barriers. Latest polls. Because of the government shutdown, the Republicans would lose the House if the election were held today. I saw The Trials of Muhammad Ali last night. See it when it comes to your town. The WaPo’s Valerie Strauss and Diane Ravitch have a talk. Brunch in New York. MORE please. The
OCT 05
The Pew Charitable Trush and Enron’s “smartest guy in the room” team up to create a phony pension crisis.
. In an article for Salon, David Sirota exposes how a former Enron executive and an allegedly non-partisan research foundation have teamed up to create a phony nation-wide pension crisis. Why? To loot retiree’s money, of course. But as outrageous as the blame-the-pensioners mythology from Detroit is, it is the same misleading mythology that is now driving public policy in states across America. I
To meet CMS demands, make sure you know what IRS button to push. And a few words from Jack Tucker.
H/T Gerry Berkowitz, S.O.R.E. IEA Retired: Great job being in their face at CMS. I actually applied for my IRS Return Transcript on October 1st just to see if how long it takes to get. There are two options to choose from and if you choose the wrong one you will not get a Return Transcript. The 1st option is an Account Transcript and the 2nd option is the Return Transcript. See enclosed s
Saturday coffee.
Keeping retirement weird. It has been six months since the doctor suggested that my diet and exercise regimen might mean I don’t need to take Lipitor anymore. Or the medication I was taking for borderline diabetes. My weight had dropped significantly. And Mike Okoye, my twice-a-week trainer has been kicking my butt. Wednesday I had my blood tested and my cholesterol count came back at 116. Coinci
Policy and practice. Diane Ravitch. Ira Shor.
Diane Ravitch posts my review of her book, Reign of Error on her blog today. It is followed by a comment by noted educator Ira Shor. Shor is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Paulo Friere on the book, A Pedagogy for Liberation. Fred Klonsky came to hear me lecture at Elmhurst College, near Chicago, and writes about how my last book helped him argue against some of the harmful policie
OCT 04
Responding to protests, CMS/HMS push back cleansing deadline to December 6th.
As a result of protest from across the state, including to and from this blog, the Illinois Central Management System – which manages the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) – has pushed back the deadline for submitting dependent eligibility information. This is a partial but significant win. Under the original rules, TRIP members claiming dependent coverage were being asked to submit a b
Are they a think-tank or a dunk-tank. Illinois Policy Institute considers failure a success when it comes to pension cleansing.
From WICS Channel 20: Director of Health Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute, Naomi Lopez-Bauman, said the audit is a reasonable way to ensure taxpayer money isn’t being misspent. As to the problems of getting ahold of tax return transcripts, she said she looked on the I.R.S. website “and it turns out that even though there is a government shutdown, they’re still able to order transcripts, and
The in box. They are looking for a pro-teacher candidate in the Illinois 37th House district.
Pension bomber Renee Kosel is quitting the Illinois House. From IEA Region 28. Rep. Renee Kosel has decided to retire and is not running for re-election in the 37th District. The district includes all or parts of Frankfort, Homer Glen, Homer Township, Joliet, Mokena, New Lenox, Orland Park and Tinley Park. This is good news for IEA members. She voted in favor of SB1 and has consistently voted
Illinois’ retirees have to look out for each other.
In trying to unravel the situation with Central Management Services and HMS, the company they hired to cleanse the TRIP rolls of alleged dead beats, I have come to believe this: We have to look out for each other. I have talked to many attorneys about legal options. They have varied opinions. That’s why I love lawyers. Neither the lawyers no I believe that deadbeats ought to be allowed to claim de
CMS is paying nearly $700,000 for HMS to “cleanse the state’s insurance rolls.”
While I have a FOIA request to get hold of the contracts between Central Management Services and HMS, The Pentagraph is reporting that CMS is paying nearly $700,000 for cleansing the insurance roles. HMS promises clients that they can reduce those on their roles by four to eight percent. In an attempt to cleanse the state’s insurance roles, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services si
Guzzardi leads in the race against incumbent Democratic Machine pension-bomber.
It is early and the candidates haven’t even officially filed yet. But when the daughter of Machine Boss and Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios voted with Speaker Mike Madigan for the public employee pension-busting Senate Bill 1 it angered many public employees who live in the House district on Chicago’s northside. The Ward Room: The 2012 race for Illinois 39th District was one of the tightest con