Candidates ponder pension policy
November 16, 2009 by Charles McBarron
The men who would be governor all think state pensions will be a top priority for the next chief executive in state government.
The State Journal Register asked the gubernatorial candidates for their thoughts and learned:
- Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, would put every new state employee into a 401k plan.
- Former Attorney General Jim Ryan favors hiking employee contributions by one percentage point and raising the age to receive full benefits to 67. Interestingly, the state’s former chief legal officer also believes the state can legally change benefits earned in the future for current state employees.
- Former state Republican Party chairman Andrew McKenna also said a two-tiered system should be implemented, both for existing employees and new hires, as does state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale.
As for the Democrats, Gov. Quinn said he is “committed to maintaining a defined-benefit plan for all public employees, both current and future,” but it seems that changes in the retirement formula, the retirement age, and survivor benefits are on the table. Comptroller Dan Hynes said the main problem with pensions is lack of state funding. He said the state should develop a new long-term plan to pay off the pension debt and then stick to it. Some user fees could also be increased and the proceeds applied to pension debt
Clearly, pensions will be a major issue in next year’s race.
Let the terrorists win?
The Obama administration’s announcement that some terrorists alleged to have helped plan the 9-11 attacks will be tried in New York City has unleashed a wave of fear on the political right wing. GOP House Leader John Boehner has the talking points:
The Obama Administration’s irresponsible decision to prosecute the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks in New York City puts the interests of liberal special interest groups before the safety and security of the American people.
Salon.com’s Glenn Greenwald calls this reaction “the textbook definition of surrendering to terrorists.
Greenwwald says there is ample reason to believe the fear peddlers are wrong, pointing out that terrorists have been successfully prosecuted in Spain, England, Indonesia and India, not to mention that Timothy McVeigh, the man behind the biggest domestic terrorist incident prior to 9-11, was successfully prosecuted in the US.
Greenwald is outraged:
“As usual, it’s the weakest and most frightened among us who rely on the most flamboyant, theatrical displays of “strength” and “courage” to hide what they really are. …It is, however, noteworthy that the position they advocate — it’s too scary to have normal trials in our country of Terrorists — is as pure a surrender to the Terrorists as it gets”
The people of Thomson, Illinois don’t advocate surrender. They have an empty prison that they think would hold terrorists very nicely and do wonders for their local economy.
Interestingly, Congressman Mark Kirk, who hopes to be elected to the US Senate, opposes the idea. I wonder how many votes he’ll get from the region around Thomson?
