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Friday, May 31, 2013

Chicago pension holiday fails in House. | Fred Klonsky

Chicago pension holiday fails in House. | Fred Klonsky:

Chicago pension holiday fails in House.

SB1920 failed to pass the House this afternoon.
The agreement to let the Chicago underfund the Chicago Teacher’s Fund collapsed.
Jesse Sharkey, Vice President of the CTU issued the following statement.
Legislative session ends. Senate Bill 1920 House Amendment 2 failed. CPS “budget crisis” looming.
1. For now, no cuts to pension benefits have passed the legislature. We may see a special session this summer where they will try again.
2. CPS has a $600 million pension payment to make; but the legislature authorized no additional revenues to help CPS make this payment.
3. Undoubtedly, CPS will claim a serious budget crisis.
The mayor has demonstrated a lack of leadership and his appointed Board of Education has done a miserable job governing the district. They have closed 50 elementary schools without a plan and now they will have to deal with a looming budget issue. But rather than finding additional revenue, the mayor pushed through spending for the DePaul basketball arena, millions for Navy Pier 


Madigan shows that he is an empty suit.

Illinois Legislature
His Senate Bill 1 failed in the Senate.
No Senate Bill 2404.
There will be no underfunding of City pensions although he tried to push that through.
Not even an attempt to address revenue.
A marriage equality bill he supported but could not provide votes to get it passed.
The General Assembly adjourned this evening until October.
Madigan?
An empty suit.