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 ...
How appropriate. The architect of over 600,000 deaths is claimed by illanoy.
Frankly, I’m surprised that so many states have resisted the infection so far!
It’s been touch-n-go the past 8 years, but to have 4 states flip to Red this time around? The Vaccine of Liberty MUST be working! :)
Did you get your RE tax bill yet?
After the voters revolt and clean house, then wake me up, cause right now I just plain don’t give a dam.
The problem isn’t so much Illinois as it is the city of Chicago and Cook County. Excise Chicago and Cook County from the state and Illinois is not only red, it is solvent and prosperous.
4. Require all teachers to make contributions toward their own pensions.
For many years the common wisdom was that teaching in Illinois was 10% more lucrative than in Missouri. But now, I’m glad I wasn’t tempted. There is actual real money, as opposed to promises in our pension plan. I know people who teach/taught in Illinois and they all agree, things are a real mess.
I heard that they also raised the min wage to $15/hr. Is that true?
Why not City-state carve outs? NY State and Illinois would benefit tremendously.
We can build walls and around CHI and NYC and let them play “Escape from NY”.
Haha. LIBs just generally suck at whatever they do. Haha.
Haha. LIBs just generally suck at whatever they do. Haha.
(thank you very much!)
Ill State/Crook Co. only nicks me on I-80 south of Chiraq using EZ-Pass. Driving through Chiraq on Sundays on I90/94 is not too painfull to shun tolls on 290/94.
Any state that goes bankrupt should lose its statehood
Any state that goes bankrupt should lose its statehood
Part the State out, giving Chiraq to NYS.
“How appropriate. The architect of over 600,000 deaths is claimed by illanoy.”
The South, not Lincoln, rebelled, seceded and fired the first shots in their attempt to maintain the right to enslave other humans.
Too bad Ralph Kramden didn’t live to an old age, or did he?
$11,400 for the year. Outrageous!!
Ouch! I got to quit complaining! I’m down in LaSalle county.
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