Walter’s Perspective: Let’s Step Up For Cops – CBS Chicago
chicago.cbslocal.com

CBS 2′s Walter Jacobson says if NATO really did bring millions of dollars to Chicago, the police pension fund should benefit.

UNIONS LEAK PENSION INFO Two public employee unions have warned their members about a couple of provisions of the upcoming pension reform bill. And House Speaker Michael Madigan confirmed yesterday that the retirement age will not be raised to 67.

The Illinois Education Association’s website warns its members that a likely reform will be a change in state law to bar school districts from “paying any portion of the members’ contribution to their pension system.” Somewhere around half of school districts have negotiated this benefit with their teachers’ unions, usually in exchange for giving up salary increases. This is apparently the first step toward shifting school employer pension costs away from the state and onto school districts. The IEA is also claiming that a plan to shift those employer pension costs to suburban and Downstate school districts might possibly be phased in over several years, at one percent a year beginning in 2013.

AFSCME Council 31 has a notice on its website claiming that the pension reform bill “will cut the COLA of both current employees and current retirees, and it will reportedly not include any guarantee against continued shorting of the pension funds in the future.” The IEA’s site claims that there could be a guarantee against shorting the pension funds, however.

The IEA also confirmed a Capitol Fax report that active employees who choose to remain in the current pension system will lose their access to government-subsidized health insurance upon retirement and would not see any of their future pay raises counted toward retirement income. Those who move into the new system would see their annual cost of living allowances capped at three percent or one-half of the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Michael Madigan confirmed a report here that the governor’s proposal to raise the retirement age to 67 has been abandoned. Madigan told the Associated Press that he is concerned about constitutional problems with the idea.

Yesterday’s huge, bipartisan majorities for Medicaid cuts in both chambers have got to send a chill down union leaders’ spines. The Medicaid votes demonstrated that large numbers of Democratic legislators seem primed to take some very unpopular actions against their political friends and that Republicans are also showing some real spine.

When it came to pensions, state officials looked out for No. 1
www.chicagotribune.com

A year after Emil Jones Jr. retired from the Illinois Senate in 2008, his annual pension jumped by more than 50 percent to $122,334 — far more than he ever earned as Senate president.

**** Pension update May 24 ****

Call now to protect your pension!

We believe that we could see a pension-cutting bill introduced in the General Assembly and voted on at any moment before the scheduled adjournment date of May 31.

Nothing is definitive about what might be voted on. While no bill has been introduced as yet, the legislative leaders are writing, re-writing and circulating draft language constantly. Various groups have sent out pieces of information. Some proposals that have been floated are serious ideas from the leaders. Some are not. Rumors can distract us from areas that we need to be focused on, so we will pass along all information that we consider credible.

It’s imperative that every member pick up the phone and call his/her representative and senator.

To be connected to your legislator call:
888-412-6570

PLEASE SHARE THIS NUMBER WITH PBPA MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

Lawmakers must be told:

They must support only constitutional solutions that are agreed to by PBPA and the other employee unions.

They cannot let the pension problem be fixed solely on the backs of public employees.

They must oppose any “fast track” attempts to ram through solutions.

Stateline – Public Pension Systems Struggle to Stabilize Their Finances
www.pewstates.org

After more than two decades heading public employee pension systems in Colorado and Kansas, Meredith Williams says Americans are woefully underprepared for retirement

CALL AND EMAIL YOUR LEGISLATORS NOW!!

888-412-6570

Links to call & email at –

www.weareoneillinois.org

The General Assembly is scheduled to resume tomorrow – Tuesday May 22nd in the afternoon. The House of Representatives has scheduled a Pension Committee hearing but has not posted a bill yet. This is typically done when they want to spring a controversial bill out of committee before any opposition can be organized.

Your continued phone calls and emails are crucial to preventing further pension attacks. Please help us help you. . . .