Posted on 06/01/2017 4:58:06 PM PDT by Hojczyk
Illinois Democrats have ferociously resisted efforts by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to cut spending and challenge the state's immensely powerful alliance of unions. And the state Supreme Court has repeatedly spiked even the most modest efforts at pension reform. So the stalemate rolls on.
The taxpayers are Illinois' forgotten man. It's not just that they pay high taxes in return for poor services — it's that they are effective feudal servants to the unions. Consider the graph below. It encapsulates the vast discrepancy between what Illinois government workers pay toward their pensions and what private taxpayers pay.
There's a simple description for that chart: immoral. You'll never see a pension scheme like that in the private sector because it would mean financial ruin.
Even in the best-case scenario, serious pension reform will take time. And time is something Illinois doesn't have. In the interim, Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan must buy time with the bond markets by showing they are serious about reform.
The Illinois Policy think tank offers seven good starters.
1. Ditch politician pensions.
2. Offer 401(k)s for new workers.
3. Offer optional 401(k)s to current employees.
4. Require all teachers to make contributions toward their own pensions.
5. Get the state out of the business of managing local school-district pensions.
6. Limit the growth of pensionable salaries.
7. Allow municipal bankruptcy.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Do the 30 ‘assembly jerks’ that are calling for Trump’s impeachment know about this?
*SNORT*
So. Much. Winning. :)
But “Muh Liberal Lie that red states take more than blue states....”
The Land of Lincoln has failed. Time to disband; let IA, WI, IN, and KY annex a part of the state.
If neighboring Michigan can break the back of the Democrat cabal of Union leaders and become a right to work state, any state can become a right to work state too.
If Shitcago could be excised and floated off into the lake, the rest of Illinois might, just might, stand a chance . . .
Move the federal government to Illinois, as many departments as it can take. The employees will follow while turning Virginia red. Boost the economy in Ill.
I’ll note here that I now never stop to buy gas or spend any other money while traversing the Ill. State...
What about the toll booths every mile and a half?
Just to give an example of the problem...a few months ago a local Boston talk host was talking about the MBTA...our regional public transit system.He was talking about the multi billion dollar deficit its pension fund has and reported that one of their bus drivers...A DAMN BUS DRIVER...recently retired with a $97,000/yr pension.
Do they have those there? Yikes! The Connecticut Turnpike and the Merritt Parkway (a major roadway serving the state's NYC suburbs) had those but they tore them down years ago.
The Land of Lincoln would be just fine if it could jettison the Land of Daley
“Hey, fellas, we’ve decided that rather than let you live next to a failed state we’ll let you live next to each other an give each of you a nifty quarter of a 20-Ton anchor for your dinghies of state....”
“The Land of Lincoln has failed. Time to disband; let IA, WI, IN, and KY annex a part of the state.”
LOVE that idea! I call, ‘DIBS’ for Wisconsin to get all of the Lake Front Property! :)
Agreed. I have very normal, conservative, hard-working friends in IL. It’s a shame what irreversible damage Chicagostan has done to the rest of the state.
Wisconsin has that problem with Madistan and Milwaukeestan, as well.
Socialists destroy EVERYTHING they touch. Everything. :(
The General Assembly has left Springfield for recess. Do you think in the waning hours they would be discussing a balanced budget or reforming the pension system?
No way, Jose.
They passed a law to certify that real catfish is in a can of catfish. I kid you not.
They’re a disease in every sense of the word. Once they finish off Illinois they will just move on to other states.
Totally! Chicago/Cook county is hell on earth. What kills us here are real estate taxes.
Totally! Chicago/Cook county is hell on earth. What kills us here are real estate taxes.
The problem is Chicago, which has enough Democrat votes to override the whole rest of the state. And who’d want it? Maybe Baltimore or Newark?
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