An Illinois House committee Tuesday approved Senate Bill 512, a proposal that would cut pension benefits for active (tier one) public employees in Illinois, allowing a measure to be considered by the full House.
The vote was 5-4.
Voting yes: Kevin McCarthy, Elaine Nekritz, Thomas Morrison, Darlene Senger, Dave Winters.
Voting no: Raymond Poe, Daniel Biss, Daniel Burke, Karen May.
There is no guarantee that SB512 will be brought to the floor. That is why it is so important to call NOW.
IEA members are urged to contact their legislators immediately to urge them to oppose the pension-cutting legislation, Senate Bill 512.
- It is unconstitutional to reduce benefits for active employees.
- For most education employees, their pension is their only form of retirement security. Teachers can’t collect full social security, even if they have earned it through other employment.
- The employees have always paid their share. The pension problem is a result of politicians using the pension systems as a credit card to pay for other state services.
- Reasonable retirement benefits allow our schools to attract and retain the quality teachers and staff our students deserve.
- Call 1-888-412-6570, follow the prompts to be connected to your legislator and use the above talking points, or
- Go to the IEA website, click on the pension tab at the top of the page and you will see a link to e-mail your legislators.
Illinois Education Association is an association of more than 130,000 members composed of Illinois elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty and staff, educational support professionals, retired educators and college students preparing to become teachers.
I am a retired public school teacher and my daughter is a public teacher in Illinois. We urge you to vote no on SB512.
thank you.
America is in trouble. The education and charactor of many of our graduates is lacking. We are fast falling behind many nations in the world and Amercia in time will become a third rate country. Our future and place in the world is at stake here and we are once again devaluing the hard working educators on the front lines of this fight. Those who educate our children should be held in high esteem and yet again we are sending a message to them and any bright young people who are considering a carreer in education that we really don’t value the work they do. This is wrong!!!
This Bill is a total injustice to all Public Employees. I for one am getting ready to retire. To change the rules at this point in my life is completely unfair, and unexceptable. If the rules are changed for new hires, that is much more acceptable. A new hire knows from the start what to expect at the end of their career, and can plan accordingly. It is way too late in the game for myself, and many other employees to survive financially, without the pensions that we were promised when we were hired. A Pension that we helped fund.
Frank Burgo says, “save me and screw new public employees”. Love it, Frank! I thought this issue had something to do with pensions being a benefit that help attract the best and the brightest to the field of education in the state of Illinois for the purpose of educating citizens for our republic. I guess it can just be about the almighty “I”. Awesome.
I don’t get it. Kevin, Elaine, Thomas, Darlene, and Dave don’t get it either. You don’t think the teachers and other state employees don’t know who you are when it comes election day? Teachers paid their share and the government did not and to think you know something about education that they don’t. Good thing you place your kids in private schools. At some point you will have to wake up. Tell that to your grandchildren. How you screwed the teachers. Good luck on that!
This will hurt students!! We work hard and are not in this for the money. Teachers deserve their pensions and this will harm the kids. There is no reason for this and this will cause a horrible outcome. Think of our future and the kids!
Sincerely,
Lisa Greenberg
I oppose SB512 and urge you to do the same.
I oppose SB512 and urge you to do the same.
McCarthy and Nekritz are Democrats. Perhaps someone should remind them that they just voted against their core base, against the middle class, and in support of the millionaires running Civic Committee.
Time for a primary challenge.
Elaine Nekritz has lost MY vote as well as that of many other people in our district. Good Luck with that next campaign Elaine! Maybe all the members of the Civic Committee will move into our district and support you…
I oppose SB512. It is unconstitutuional and unfair. Teachers have never missed a payment. Please join me in the opposition of this bill.
There is no time to delay. Everyone needs to inform all citizens of Illinois. The elected officials were given the confidence from the people of Illinos to uphold and adhere to the Constitution of the state of Illinois. However, many elected officials are not holding to that oath of office. Have EVERYONE call and/or email their legislator and tell them they oppose to any unconstitutional change to pensions of cuurent state employees.
I am a Chicago Police Officer of 34 years and I strongly urge Both the Senate and Illinois House members not to pass SB 512 which would greatly impact Chicago Police Officers in a negative way. We have no issues of Double dipping and working one day as a “POLICE OFFICER” and collecting a hugh pension as have other fraudulent Union members. Don’t let that canard get you to support this unfair bill. My Pension and your Political future depend on it. POLICE OFFICERS do not forget nor forgive.
Do the right moral thing! Vote no on SB512! Leave teachers alone! Districts have done the right thing and paid! State do your right thing-pay up!
How dare they take away what it has taken years to build. This is the reason there will be no quality teachers in Illinois. Why should there be after this? It is completely unfair to take a self-funded pension away in the middle of a career.
Vote NO on SB512. I have no confidence in elected officials. Illinois is the most corrupt state in America. I do have confidence in the fact that I’ve worked very hard in teaching for 23 years and the retirement account that I’ve self-funded needs to be protected!
Vote no to SB512 it is unfair and unconstitutional. These teachers have never missed a payment while that state has underfunded and stole from the retirement fund. Teachers decided to enter the teaching field knowing they will have low pay compared to professionals in the private sector. They need the pension and dont deserve a significant paycut to stay into this system to sustain their benefit. Its just wrong and if this passes you will see less and less quality teachers entering into the field. If teachers decide tier 3 the districts will have to come up with 6.2 percent for social security as of right now they only pay .58 percent into teachers retirement under the current pension tier 1. It will cost schoold districts more money.
This is our (my) money they are stealing. Please take time to call!!!!!
Teachers work extremely hard. We do not stop working on the weekends. We continue to prepare for our students on during holidays and summer vacation. We continue to grow academically by constantly taking classes to keep up with all the changes that dont work. PLEASE leave us alone and allow us to do what we are constantly training to do. We dont get paid nearly what we are worth. Every proffession has to go through us to get where they are. Guess who gets the least? TEACHERS. Now you want our pensions? LEAVE US ALONE PLEASE!!!!
How can so many hard working teachers, who have contributed to TRS for all their working careers, have their pensions reduced? The State of Illinois and its politicians are having serious financial problems, and have decided to take a portion of these pension benefits away from Illinois teachers to solve the state’s financial problems. What right do the politicians of Illinois have to just pass bill SB 512, without considering all the lives that will be affected and devastated by this decision? How are the politicians pension benefits being adjusted/reduced due to financial issues in the state? Retired teachers have to pay for their supplemental health insurance, as well as all their daily living expenses, just to survive in their “golden years.” With prices/expenses increasing in all areas of our economy, how will these teachers be able to endure this latest blow to their income? Teachers have invested over 10% of their income into the teachers’ retirement fund for their entire professional life. The have a right to their due pensions. Politicians should say NO to passing bill SB 512. Please make the fair and right decision on this important issue.
As much as I am against SB512 and urge lawmakers to vote against it, I do believe that something needs to be done, as the pension fund cannot sustain both the educators paying for it and the others who are “legally” (though not very morally or ethically) drawing from it. Cutting benefits to the principal investors needs to be the absolute last ditch effort to fix this, not the fast bandaid that covers and allows for the continued leeching of money that has been going on for so long by those who didn’t really contribute. It’s time for our legislators, and union leaders to step up to the plate for us…that is why we are paying them, right?
Sometimes we put things off because we are busy…After all, we are teachers! But sometimes something takes priority on your never-ending list because it is urgent. This is one of those things for me. I agree- no to SB12!
Some of the best teachers in this country exist in Illinois. If you take away all that we have worked so hard to build, you will lose us. You make laws to add to the difficulties of our jobs and then take away the funding to make those requirements possible. Now you hope to take away our futures after years and years of service. It is unconstitutional to reduce benefits for active employees. For most education employees, their pension is their only form of retirement security. Teachers can’t collect full social security, even if they have earned it through other employment. If education is a priority for this State, PLEASE vote no on SB512!!!
PLEASE vote no to SB512!
Darlene Senger has lost my vote! NEVER again!
Dear Mr. McCarthy, Morrison, and Winters, also.. Ms Nekritz and Senger.
I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL ELECTION DAY!!
I am a National Board Certified Teacher who certified in 2006. After the incredible amount of work undertook, at the expense of time with my family and added stress to my English teaching work load, I have already lost all but the tiniest fraction of the yearly stipend I was promised for my efforts. Now you want to take away my pension? Shame on all of you…you wouldn’t treat anyone in other professions this way…and you are sending a TERRIBLE message to our youth. If I was younger and not already established here with my family, there is no way I wouldn’t take my talents elsewhere. I will encourage any young teacher I encounter to go somewhere where the hard work and talents of good teachers are respected and encouraged. You grafters better hope that Hell is not how Dante envisioned it…otherwise, there will be a special place awaiting you.
I teach in District 65 Evanston/Skokie 65. I am proud to work at this district and I work hard alongside excellent teachers. I oppose SB 512. You must do the right thing and do so, as well.
Please vote no on Sente Bill 512.. Teachers pay into the pension fund faithfully and consistantly. to give them anything less that what they arew due is unconscionable!
I used to have a good come back for the old saying “if you can’t do….teach”. Yet, I believe I’ll change my response to that comment if you pass this bill. I believe my new response will go something like this “if you think you can do it better, find someone stupid enough to do it for nothing!” I love my kids, but I have one at home to feed. VOTE NO to SB 512!
If you haven’t already done so, read up on the Civic Committee. Big, powerful….and they’ll
get their retirements…..huge ones. I thought this was a democracy!
VOTE NO to SB512!!! This isn’t right and YOU know it!
I teach in the Pana District #8. I am proud to work with this district and I work hard with many excellent teachers. I oppose SB 512. I can’t believe anyone would vote yes. Please, vote “no” to SB 512.
Stop pension cutting!
I am pretty sure our legislators don’t want anybody messing with their pensions. So don’t mess with the teacher’s pension. I oppose SB 512. I just remembered elections are right around the corner. I know who isn’t getting support or a vote. OPPOSE SB 512!!!
Don’t blame this bill for the financial mess the state is in. The state is a sinking ship, and everyone must carry shoulder a portion of that burden.
Tc…is that you Tom Cross? The financial mess the state is in (at least as far as unfunded liability) is due to legislators being irresponsible and failing to put in the actuarially recommended amount to the pension funds. If you blame my pension for the state being a sinking ship then you are mistaken.
I went to this site because I was listening to Bob Brinker on the radio on Sunday afternoon and heard the IEA commercial a few times. Gary, from “the land of WLS”, called into the program to discuss his financial situation with Bob. Turns out Gary has a nice sized 403B and will be getting an $85K pension when he retires next year. Bob Brinker says to him “Wow! That’s a BIG pension!”. He did not say “Wow! That’s a modest pension”. So I decided to crunch the numbers. Any math teachers out there? In order to retire with an $85K pension, Gary has averaged $113,333 over the last 4 years. So if we assume a 6% annual pay increase, Gary started working 35 years ago at a salary of $17,022. He is up to $123,427 today. If he contributed 9.4% of his salary every year into the pension fund that would mean that Gary will have contributed $178,303 over the course of his working career. Gary will get $85K plus a 3% COLA increase yearly. This means that Gary will have received every dollar he has contributed into the fund in the first 25 months of his retirement. After 20 years he will have received $2,283,981 in pension payments.
I understand that his contributions have been compounding over the years, and I haven’t factored in the state piece, but what kind of rate of return will make this work?