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* Daily Herald…
One of the largest public employee pension systems in the state is questioning whether Elk Grove Village’s mayor and five of its trustees work enough hours to be eligible for pensions.
A three-page letter sent by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund’s general counsel to village officials asks for documentation showing elected village board members work at least 1,000 hours a year — the threshold to be eligible for a pension.
And if not, IMRF asks the board to adopt a resolution abolishing their participation in the pension fund.
The inquiry was prompted by a tip from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, a prominent labor group that’s been critical of the Elk Grove Village board’s support of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s turnaround agenda.
Using public meeting minutes, Local 150 sent its analysis to IMRF of the estimated time board members spent in meetings in 2015, which showed no one spent more than 60 hours.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:40 pm
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“Hi, Rich,
Madeupville also voted in favor of the Turnaround Agenda Resolution. They appear to have not broken any rules doing so. The Governor still thinks Local 150 should go away.
Thanks!
ck”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:43 pm
I hate hypocrites. If you talk the talk, best to walk the walk.
Comment by Ratso Rizzo Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:46 pm
Last week, Martwick and his allies (including commenters here) decried legislators having paychecks delayed was a form of extortion.
I’m just wondering if those same voices will consider Local 150’s act extortion because they are only going after benefits of their detractors. “Support the Union or we take your pension.”
Comment by consistency check Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:47 pm
GET SOME 150! GET SOME! Sorry…. GOT SOME 150, GOT SOME! Nice….so nice.
Comment by Honeybear Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:48 pm
consistency check, you may want to do one.
Considering the withholding of legally earned paychecks for several months does not equate to asking if political officials are falsely requesting money.
Comment by Norseman Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:52 pm
-consistency: If they don’t qualify for the pensions they are piling up, why vilify the union for pointing it out? Probably never would have happened if these local officials didn’t jump out into the spotlight as pension crusaders.
Comment by Man with a plan Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:53 pm
@ consistency check. The irony of Rauner supporters trying to defraud the pension system Rauner says needs to be reformed — and you being oblivious to the inconsistency.
Comment by Scamp640 Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:53 pm
A good friend of mine was a county commissioner and he would spend dozens of hours each week researching topics on the upcoming agendas. He also received numerous phone calls from constituents That needed to be followed up. Old Blue doesn’t defend politicians much, but going to board meetings isn’t the only thing these guys/gals do.
Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:57 pm
===I’m just wondering if those same voices will consider Local 150’s act extortion because they are only going after benefits of their detractors. “Support the Union or we take your pension.”===
Apples to oranges. Local 150 doesn’t control the mayor and trustees’ pensions nor can they “take” them. Extortion is threatening to do something. Local 150 done did it. Retribution/tit-for-tat maybe but not extortion.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 2:59 pm
Consistency i feel your outrage! how dare people defrauding tax payers and public pensions be outed by the people who have made all of their required payments and met all the legal requirements.
ironic that the defrauders want to cut wages from workers to cover the pension expense for pensions they are stealing….
Comment by Ghost Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:12 pm
One thousand hours per year is an average of 83.33 hours per month and an average of 19.23 hours per week. It is a half-time job.
I doubt that very many Village or City officials merit a IMRF pension using this pretty high standard for qualification.
Why isn’t there an audit of hours worked on the front end before IMRF lets them in?
Comment by Jake From Elwood Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:13 pm
@Old Blue, I agree but 60 hours is a long, long way from 1000 hours. Even so, if they are putting in the time it needs to be documented,.
Comment by Irish 56 Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:16 pm
are there tens, hundreds, or thousands of part time, half time people who should be bounced? Who knows?
Comment by smith Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:37 pm
The trustees are paid $6,000 per year, so if they’re working 1,000 per year, they’re making below minimum wage. Maybe they should ask Local 150 to represent them.
If Local 150 members participate in IMRF, they have every right to ask this question. Although I wonder if Local 150’s pension is as well funded as IMRF.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:51 pm
Well stated Ghost
Comment by Seymourkid Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:54 pm
It’s about time we begin to boot free loading politicians off this gravy train. Next step should be state legislators but I won’t hold my breath for that. One other benefit is that if this type of scrutiny was to extend across the state (maybe Lisa Madigan would like to actually earn her paycheck) we’d see less people turn elected office into lifetime appoitnments.
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:58 pm
ghost-
So it’s ok to defraud the taxpayers as long as those elected officials support the union agenda? Got it.
Comment by consistency check Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:06 pm
Good local body members spend a lot of time outside of the actual board meeting.
Comment by titan Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:12 pm
Kudos to 150.
One might also inquire how many more of these situations exist around the state and to what extent the fiduciaries at IMRF have taken similar action.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:12 pm
Jake, the board has to certify that the mayor, supervisor, clerk, or whomever has to meet the 600 or 1000 hour qualification. Never heard of trustees or aldermen qualifying; some may, but not common.
Smith, there might be some but doubt if there would be thousands; these pensions have to be agreed to by boards who are also taxpayers.
Comment by downstate commissioner Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:15 pm
=So it’s ok to defraud the taxpayers as long as those elected officials support the union agenda? Got it.=
You should stop, you just got owned by ghost and you know it. Your argument is that of a child.
The “elected officials” purposefully went after the unions. They initiated the attack.
The union is not extorting anything, but they are pointing out the glass house that the “elected officials” live in.
That does not equate to extortion.
Be a grown up.
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:15 pm
==So it’s ok to defraud the taxpayers as long as those elected officials support the union agenda? Got it.==
I don’t see where that was said anywhere.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:20 pm
You’re out of your element, @consistency
Comment by Man with a plan Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:24 pm
It shouldn’t take a whistleblower to prevent these kinds of abuses.
Comment by Wensicia Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:30 pm
…IMRF doesn’t require any tracking - no work logs, no time logs, nothin’.
This is routinely an issue in township races.
There oughtta be a law!
Comment by A. Nonymous Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:40 pm
Revenge is best served cold.
Comment by Triple fat Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 6:01 pm
Glad to see someone find waste, fraud, and abuse.
Did they not know the law? A lot of times the new people just copy those already there.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 6:15 pm
Maine Township Check that out.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 6:27 pm
Hey, it’s Rauner’s turn around agenda. Ethics.
Dear God, did I really say that about Rauner, he has ethics?
Comment by Tinsel Town Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 7:07 pm
Do lawyer-legislators work 1,000 hours a year for their pensions and Cadillac health coverage.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 7:43 pm
If a state rep or senator campaigns they call it work. If they are fundraising they call it work. If they are out there glad-handing it and kissing babies, you guessed it. Work.
Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 8:32 pm
I have first hand knowledge, at the trustee level, this practice is standard operating procedure. As far as board members policing this fraud, “because they are tax payers too”, straight malarkey. They will appropriate what monies they can, for themselves, and out vote the trustee who disagrees.
Comment by Property of IDOC Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 8:48 pm
== Do lawyer-legislators work 1,000 hours a year for their pensions and Cadillac health coverage.==
When the G.A. is in session, they put in long hours.
The targets easily put in more than 1,000 hours because they have to campaign year round.
Comment by anon Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 9:12 pm
In Winnetka, the boards (and Village President) work for free. It is their civic duty. Pensions? You’re kidding, right?
Comment by Himsay Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 10:01 pm
- Himsay -
Lemme guess, they also donate “millions”…
Ugh.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 10:29 pm