32 Comments - George - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 10:29 am: backs dismantling the state’s education bureaucracy …And massive cuts to education. - cassandra - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 10:30 am: This seems very predictable. Surely Brady saw it coming. Even if he wants to switch from defined benefit to defined contribution pensions, he should have kept his mouth shut until he won (if he won) the election. Nothing terrifies civil servants more than the idea of their golden nest eggs being taken from them. And rightly so. Defined benefit pensions have become uber-valuable since the great economic meltdown. At present, only the wealthy and those who worked long-term in jobs w/ defined benefit pensions can look forward to a nice retirement. The rest of us will be working until we are 80, or bunking in with the kids. And paying for those government pensions of others, of course. - Reformer - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 10:35 am: At about 2 minutes in to the Swanson video, he refers to “Governor Brady.” Freudian slip? - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 10:37 am: The backing of the IEA, one of the two major politically active teachers unions in Illinois, is a big victory for Quinn. Odds of the union backing Brady were slim because he opposes tax increases and backs dismantling the state’s education bureaucracy. But Quinn has done little to move his agenda with the Democratic legislature. This is how this announcement is being played. Thats not much of a winner for Quinn. Nothing terrifies civil servants more than the idea of their golden nest eggs being taken from them. None of the civil servants I know expect any golden nest eggs, nest eggs, eggs or yolks. You are talking nonsense. Everyone in that sector can read that there is nothing in their nests, nor will be. That has been the case for a decade. - jonbtuba - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 10:40 am: Nice to see another organization come out and lambast Brady for his idiotic retirement plan. - D.P. Gumby - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 10:48 am: Does Brady say anything that isn’t idiotic? - Sue - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:05 am: The endorsement will bring cash and a massive get out the vote drive but what we really need is an honest appraisal as to how you bring expenditures under control- Absent the teachers willing to support cost reductions, their endorsement will lend itself to Republican criticsm that the Unions are buying Quinn off and preventing serious changes from being made to the pension and retiree health insurance programs - CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:07 am: When will NoTaxRushmore get Michael Steel to bring his magic show to IL……Pleeeeeze. Hey whatever happened to Daddy’s Little Tax Deduction — jason plummer? Did he head for the FL condo for the summer or what? - Wumpus - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:12 am: Golly, a teachers’ union supports the democrat. What’s next, the NRA supporting a republican? - lincolnlover - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:26 am: Cassandra should check out the costs of running a 401 vs a defined benefit. Most current studies are concluding that defined benefit plans, combined with an employee contribution are not only more secure for the future retiree, but are also less expensive to run. I find it interesting that “taxpayer” citizens of Illinois were silent for the previous 20 years while the GA systematically robbed employee pension funds to balance the state budget. Why were you not complaining about those expensive “golden” nest eggs then? Oh, yes, if you had, the GA might have been forced to do the responsible thing and raise your income tax to provide adequate revenue to fund every little program that those same taxpayer citizens demanded. - Liandro - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:27 am: The article on the minimum wage hike was actually decent. It pointed out that minimum wage increases are actually higher then whatever amount the law says due to payroll taxes, social security, etc. The article pointed out that it prevents raises for higher paid employees (the kind that have mortgages and kids, generally). It pointed out that you have to watch your schedule more (read: less hours given out, if possible). It pointed out that there is less new-to-the-workforce hires (which is who minimum wages are designed for). It pointed out that we have the third highest wage control in the nation, which puts us at a disadvantage when luring in new businesses that would be affected. It also pointed out the strain it puts on small businesses, who have to compete with big-pocketed businesses. Helping put those types of businesses down does not help out the employees that work there. Good for workers? What a rosy, populist headline for an article that turned out far more balanced and delving. There are arguments for raising a minimum wage, but barely any of them are applicable in this type of economic environment. - cassandra - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:29 am: VM-are you saying government pensions aren’t golden enough or that the money won’t be there. If the former, I doubt most private sector workers would agree with you. If the latter–there is plenty of evidence that Illinois politicians, who themselves benefit from these defined benefit pensions, will go to great lengths to preserve them. Even if other services have to be cut. In general, the voters seems to be going along with this. After all, there were no changes this year in free retiree health insurance premiums or three percent automatic raises each January for state retirees. It’s the service sector that seems to be taking the hit-not the state bureaucracy. Expect that to continue. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:36 am: VM-are you saying government pensions aren’t golden enough or that the money won’t be there. Most of the folks I know understand that they’ll be lucky to get anything. They expect to be screwed even though they did nothing wrong, paid in what they were told to pay in, and followed each agreement the best they could. Blagojevich actively hated on public employees. They have been accused of everything to justify voter anger. Like a waitress at a restaurant serving rotted food, they expect anger, resentment and no tips. They expect to be the reason government doesn’t work and costs too much. This is nothing new. Anyone thinking there are golden nest eggs waiting for them when they retire is delusional. - PalosParkBob - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:36 am: About 95% of Illinois workers do not belong to unions, but are being sold out by their Springfield “representatives” to give far better compensation than they can hope to receive to public and publically subsized union workers (construction). While they’re being forced to take pay cuts and losing jobs, the “protected” public union employees are still getting raises, unfair pick ups of health insurance costs (85-95% in many school districts)and the non-union employees and private businesses are being stuck with the bill. The shame here is that direct state employees, most of whom get a small fraction of what the IEA euchres out local school boards they pack, are going to be facing the backlash that really is only deserved by the public education bureacracies. Moving to get public pensions and compensation, particularly in bloated K-12 and public college educational institutions, back down to comparable worth is a winning political strategy, if articulated correctly. I agree with most that cutting minimum wage as campaign issue is flat out stupid. Reforming the system and ending state subsidizing of $150,000 drivers ed instructors is a winner. That Brady can’t figure this out is a real cause for concern. - Niles Township - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 11:49 am: Brady’s release on the IEA support was very weak. - steve schnorf - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 12:46 pm: It’s hard for me to think of a public employee union endorsing Governor Quinn over Bill Brady as newsworthy. To paraphrase a great coach, they only had 3 choices and from their point of view 2 of them were bad, so the choice they made is unsurprising. - Retired Non-Union Guy - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 1:21 pm: Palos Park Bob wrote “.. to give far better compensation than they can hope to receive to public and publically subsized union workers (construction).” I don’t know about today but when my dad who worked in construction retired, his union pension was just barely big enough to keep paying his union dues so he could keep getting his pension. Sure wasn’t any gold plated nest egg. If it hadn’t been for my mom’s job with the State and Social Security, they never would have been able to raise us kids and survive. - dave - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 1:49 pm: About 95% of Illinois workers do not belong to unions Huh? I assume that you are making this number up, because it is nothing close to reality. In 2009, 18.3% of Illinois’ workforce was represented by unions, and 17.5% of IL’s workforce were union members. (source: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.t05.htm) Reforming the system and ending state subsidizing of $150,000 drivers ed instructors is a winner. How many drivers ed instructors make $150,000? I know it makes for a good talking point, but that doesn’t make it meaningful. - dupage dan - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 2:22 pm: jonbtuba, That idiotic retirement plan you refer to is the same that most folk in the real world deal with. Most regular Janes and Joes who work for a living rely on their own retirement program since they KNOW that SSA and will likely to go bust long before they retire. As a state employee I KNOW many “civilians” are furious at the prosect of having to support my pension when their 401Ks are struggling. Their perception (and remember, perceptions are what COUNT) is that this is patently unfair. - dave - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 2:42 pm: this is patently unfair. How is it unfair? Most state workers actually make less in the public sector than they would in the private sector. Decent (not great) pensions are one way to attract decent employees. Further, not quite sure what the definition of fair is. Your “civilian” friends could get a job in the public sector if they were interested (and qualified). They have decided not to do so. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 2:52 pm: The IEA had nowhere to go but Quinn after the primaries. - the Patriot - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 3:19 pm: I knew the IEA were a bunch of liberals, but apparently non of their members can do simple math. Pat Quinn can tell you he is not cutting education, but he and Blago have effectively cut education more than any Governor in history. Putting education in the budget and then not sending the checks, is CUTTING. Example, they have cut transporation funding by 50% for the last physcal year. Since schools have to provide transporation by law, the cut teachers to make up the shortfall. He has cut schools and will continue to do so. He has no choice. Not to mention the race to the top boondogle Quinn has us in means that teachers have to have evaluations tied to student based performance by 2014. That is Merit based pay for those of you not paying attention. I think it is a good idea, but the IEA has fought this tooth and nail for decades and now just gives in on it because it is a Democrate President and Governor proposing it. Pat Quinn and his former running mate have put the IEA back 25 years and they endorse him. - PalosParkBob - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 5:32 pm: =About 95% of Illinois workers do not belong to unions Huh? I assume that you are making this number up, because it is nothing close to reality. In 2009, 18.3% of Illinois’ workforce was represented by unions, and 17.5% of IL’s workforce were union members. (source: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.t05.htm)= I’ll admit that my number just represents non-governmental employees. I read that number in an article for non-government workers in Illinois. I’ll check it out and provide a reference when I get home. Until then, I’m willing to concede that about 18.3% of the state’s unionized workers are shafting the remaining 81.7%. Either way, working against the interests of 81.7% of the workers for the excessive benefit of the 18.3% is bad policy, if not bad politics. =Reforming the system and ending state subsidizing of $150,000 drivers ed instructors is a winner. How many drivers ed instructors make $150,000? I know it makes for a good talking point, but that doesn’t make it meaningful.= What is meaningful is that the state is subsidizing salaries and benefits at rates as much as 4 times a job’s worth in the open market! In my high school district, for example, EVERY 43 year old teacher who started in the district at age 23 with a masters and made the GRUELING sacrifice of taking a 3 semester hour class every OTHER summer makes about $110K for nine months work. Add summer school pay and the “end of career” salary padding and it’s pretty easy to get to $150K. The fact is that a state in financial crisis is in no position to subsidize these excesses, but Quinn won’t dare put limits on school labor contracts to allow schools to freeze salaries when district cash reserves get below 25% of annual operating expenses, or when the rate of salary and benefit increases exceed the rate of revenue growth. Stonewalling this necessary reform is reason enough for the IEA to endorse him. - Old Milwaukee - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 6:37 pm: Ken Swanson has been terribly ineffective for his union. 17,000 RIF notices. Schools owed hundreds of millions of dollars that the state cannot pay. Pensions so underfunded that future teachers now get less benefits and the real possibility exists that current teacher pensions will have to be targeted. Swanson and the IEA supported many of the questionable ideas that resulted in this problem, such as megaborrowing plans. Swanson wants a tax increase. Look at him and tell me if you think he, or his union, deserve one. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 6:56 pm: The Tea Party rhetoric makes me want to hurl. They assume all virtues for themselves and claim to be endlessly victimized by everyone else (that would be most of us, I think). Like the song says, “Things get complicated when you get past 18…” Grow up. - Curious - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 6:58 pm: Why is Rich Whitney still being ignored? He got 10% of the vote last time around. He has some great ideas! - FED UP - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 7:09 pm: I would like to know why Whitney has been ignored also. I saw his idea about using North Dakota’s state bank plan. The taxpayers benefit from interest payments, not the bank CEO’s. I remember the idea would save the taxpayers of Illinois about $600 million a year. And the IEA endorses Quinn? A USA Today poll just reported nearly 60% of voters will voting for independents. Looks like the leadership of the IEA is a bit behind the curve. - Will County Woman - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 7:55 pm: Sue, I couldn’t agree with you more. Under the circumstances, and based on perceptions, be they right or wrong, I think the republicans would be on very solid footing with such a criticism. - Park - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 8:13 pm: Unlike the Teamsters fiasco, this endorsement is probably not ‘pay to play’. Reason is that IEA is totally brain-dead on their endorsements. In 2002, they gave a half-mil of their members money to the (at the time) unknown Blago. Within a couple years he had totally screwed up the teachers retirement system. I assume the leadership is so dyed-in-the-wool dem that they would endorse Satan Kennedy III, if that was the Democrat in the race. Funny, except that my wife is a teacher and some of that blown dough is hers. Go Brady. And don’t forget. - Gone - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 8:32 pm: I guess the 20000 laid off teachers didn’t get to vote. - information please - Tuesday, Jul 6, 10 @ 10:36 pm: Is a recommendation different from an endorsement? i.e., does it signify a check of the same size? - the Patriot - Wednesday, Jul 7, 10 @ 8:04 am: OMG, I think Gone has the best quote ever and probably the simpliest explanation. Bill Brady should run that as an add. See the problem is Quinn and the IEA have no idea how school budgets or the school code works. He thinks that since he promised not to cut schools, they will rehire all the teachers before the election and save his can. Problem is Pat, they are behind from last year. You may leave general state aid alone, but when you have millions in infunded mandates like special education and transportation, the money gets shifted from state aid so it is effectively a cut. If you want the teachers rehired you have to do one of two things. 1. make all of last years unfunded mandate payments and get this years checks, all of them, out on time. or 2. Put a moratorium on unfunded mandates and tell schools they can cut programs not funded. Since he can’t do the first and lacks the courage to do the second, he is sunk and so are our schools. But hey, my kids may grow up uneducated and ignorant, but as long as they live in IL they can always run for public office. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.