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* Henry Bayer testifying in committee yesterday against House Speaker Michael Madigan’s new pension reform bill…

“It’s good that you’re not kicking the can down the road,” said Bayer, executive director of the 40,000-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. “It’s bad that you’re kicking our members in the butt.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 6:41 am

Comments

It’s early and I don’t want a ban for life but I don’t feel like I am being kicked in the butt. I feel like a kid in a baseball gave after he has been hit and the coach is telling me to “rub my knee!” The shot retirees are being ask to take will force many to go back to work. Those unable to work will just be screwed!

Comment by Nieva Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 7:08 am
That Henry is pure comic genius. Bet he is laughing all the way to the bank as he stuffs a big check and private retirement deal away while stonewalling efforts to really help members or anyone else who depends on state services.
Why the blunder on the contract vote? Who pays the tab for the Muligan?

Comment by circularfiringsquad Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 7:11 am
Seems more like a kick to the anterior vs. the posterior.

Comment by Johnnie F. Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 7:30 am
A lot of jockeying of pension bills with the sole purpose of trying to come up with the one that’s the least unconstitutional.

Comment by Mouthy Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 7:48 am
If your bills are out of hand, you get a second job. The state needs to raise revenues to meet its current obligations and avoid taking on new ones. It amazes me they can get away with the approach of just not paying the state’s obligations. Got some notes from my local city council this morning indicating the state is five months behind in payments to municipalities.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 7:50 am
Rabid - the state already got a 2nd job in the form of the 66% income tax increase.

At this point, I am not opposed to taking the pension fund, and putting it all on red.

Comment by anonymous poster Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:01 am
Mr. Bayer for many years you have been kicking the taxpayers of this State in the butt.

What goes around comes around.

Comment by MOON Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:06 am
Maybe Cullerton will work out something with unions.

Comment by wow Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:08 am
http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/cullerton-to-madigan-consider-union-plan.html?m=1

Comment by wow Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:10 am
moon: the contracts were not unilateral. the state had to agree to the terms also. it is obvious that it is not your ox getting gored. what an ignorant comment.

Comment by wizard Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:10 am
I posted this on another topic yesterday, but I think it fits this topic also.

80% of the participants in the state pension systems are not part of Social Security, saving the State all these years from having to pay the employer’s 6.2% Social Security contribution.

If the State had even had to have paid only that 6.2% SS contribution, then Illinois would have had to have raised taxes long before 2011.

Comment by Joe M Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:24 am
Good Point Joe M.. Very good point….

Comment by WOW Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:27 am
Rich: Off topic, but did you see that Federal Court in Rock Island has banned enforcement of a law that bans guns in public housing?

The Court hereby permanently enjoins and restrains Defendant WCHA from enforcing
the following lease provisions:
5(h): The Resident, the Residents household members and household guests
shall not: discharge or use firearms or fireworks, or store explosive or
flammatory materials.

http://ia601202.us.archive.org/14/items/gov.uscourts.ilcd.54722/gov.uscourts.ilcd.54722.17.0.pdf

Comment by Rarely Posts Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:29 am
“The state needs to raise revenues to meet its current obligations and avoid taking on new ones.”

Will only avoiding new obligations, ‘new’ being the important word, be sufficient for Illinois? One needs to ask if reducing future obligations is the way to go.

Many taxpayers feel that they have over paid for many of the quality and quantity of services they have received. Might it not be time to consider increasing the return on investment (ROI) of tax dollars rather than increasing taxes collected? The extra cash could then be used to pay off the existing obligations such as the pension debt.

Comment by Property Owner Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 8:40 am
I, for one, am fine with kicking his members in the butt. I fact, I consider it the primary virtue of the plan.

Comment by HenryVK Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 9:36 am
“I, for one, am fine with kicking his members in the butt. In fact, I consider it the primary virtue of the plan.”

You, sir, are just a hater.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 10:02 am
Just a hater? No, I’m way more than a hater. You don’t know me. How can you classify me as nothing more than a hater? I have many other talents.

Comment by HenryVK Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 11:38 am
HenryVK, a descendant of HenryVIII possibly? Though
it was a different country and century the “let them eat cake” condescension is clearly evident.

Comment by Pffft... Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 1:20 pm
When Henry VIII had inconvenient realities to deal with, generally it was “off with their head!” That attitude lives, and not just on this issue.

Comment by Anyone Remember? Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 4:09 pm
To digress for a moment, there was another sad passing today. Jeff Hanneman, one of the guitarists in the band Slayer, passed away today of liver failure. Wow, what a day. I saw Slayer at Ozzfest with the original Black Sabbath a few years back.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, May 2, 13 @ 6:13 pm