Cops blog picks up story about Rahm's attempt to raid all Chicago worker pensions
The always interesting Chicago cop blog, Second City Cop, has become the second media (after Substance) to notice that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to stack the trustees of each of the city's public worker pension funds with his own appointees. Second City Cop is always a worthwhile read, for those who are accustomed to certain types of vigorous expression of fact and opinion.
Saturday, October 08, 2011 End Around Attack on Pensions?
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel now has his eye on a move to take control over the trustees of all of the city's municipal worker pension funds, including the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund. According to a bill introduced on October 5, 2011, in the Illinois House by Rahm's Republican ally Tom Cross, Chicago's mayor would appoint four of the seven members of the pension trustees after "reform" becomes Illinois law. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/2011/10/end-around-attack-on-pensions.html
In the fall veto session:
After at least six secret meetings, another of which was held during the first week of October, Illinois politicians have quietly introduced legislation that would destroy the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund Board of Trustees as an elected entity with ten members elected by those affected by the Fund. The new legislation would replace the current trustees with a seven-member Board of Trustees, four of whose members would be appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The proposed change to current pension law, which was introduced by Tom Cross, the leader of the Republican minority in the Illinois House of Representatives, covers a number of public worker pension issues and has come to public light following a series of reports, primarily in Tribune Corporation media, depicting the public worker pension funds as corrupt. The proposed legislation, known as HB 3827, was introduced on October 5, 2011.
A synopsis of the legislation, which was introduced on October 5 and is currently available on the Illinois General Assembly website, includes the following:
"...Amends the Chicago Police, Chicago Firefighter, Chicago Municipal, Chicago Laborers, Chicago Park District, and Chicago Teacher Articles of the Illinois Pension Code to terminate the existing pension boards 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act and to provide for a new board comprised of 4 members appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago and 3 elected members representing active members and annuitant members of the fund...."
So Rahm would get to pick four appointees and we'd elect three?
Gee, what could possibly go wrong with this scenario?
Comments:
By: Jay Rehak
It is our money, not the Mayor's
The money the suburban legislator is trying to transfer to the Mayor of Chicago is school teachers and school administrator's. It belongs to us. it is our money. It is money educative have already earned. How dare anyone but educative control it?
By: Ann Glaw Cata
Rahm and pensions
Just as the CTU contract expires on 6/30/2012 so do the police and fire departments contracts expire. Rahm uses his POWER to destroy Unions and the middle class. When will the public wake up and smell the coffee?
By: Sheila Magnus
Rahm going to outside legislators for HB3827
It seems very fishy that the sponsors of the HB3827 bill are republicans from Naperville, Moline, Oswego areas. Any others out side of Cook County want to join in the mix. I want to know what was promised them by the Democratic leadership of our fine state. I for one am fighting and I hope more will join us to send a message. This has now crossed party lines and our elected representatives have drawn the line in the sand against all of us. Wisconsin came first, now it's Illinos labor. I will not be a victim. It is time for term limits on these jerks.
By: Kati Gilson
HB 3827
This is my letter to the suburban sponsors / supporters of this bill. How dare you support a bill giving control of all city pensions to Rahm Emanuel. The biggest mistake the legislature did was giving control of CPS to Mayor Daly. ISBE has little or no jurisdiction over CPS. Our special ed kids aren't getting services, state funding is going to discretionary funds instead of the specific programs that are supposed to be funded, the preschool for all classrooms have up to 22 students per class and the state mandate stipulates 10 students per teacher. The tranisition from early intervention to other services is being lost and our children are being left behind. The school system is a shambles so why give the mayor control of our pensions. We earned them, we've paid our share! CPS has underfunded our pensions. I am a suburban resident and a CPS teacher. I want people with a vested interest to manage my pension money. The current system is working, we had one of the strongest pensions until CPS stopped doing their share. This bill is an insult to every city employee. Most of us teachers are not working in fancy magnet schools with all the perks. We're getting by with little or nothing and working 8-10 hour days as well as weekends to ensure our students get the best. Do not insult us by turning our hard earned retirment fund to the mayor.