Nobody’s coming to the “tax the retiree” party but the IEA.

When Illinois Senate President John Cullerton floated the trial balloon yesterday, it got shot down pretty quick.

Capitol Fax reports that the idea of a tax on retiree benefits was not well received yesterday.

Ironically, two weeks ago the IEA Board of Directors voted to place it on the table for consideration at the urging of out-going IEA President Ken Swanson. This would require a change in the IEA legislative platform by the RA that is meeting Friday and Saturday.

It should be quite a discussion.

While the IEA leadership is willing to sit at the table on this, it appears they will be dining alone.

According to Capitol Fax, even the Chicago Tribune thought it was a bad idea.

As did the Republican leadership.

And AARP.

And now Cullerton is doing more dancing than the Joffrey Ballet.

PS:

Can somebody help me. I received an urgent email from the IEA leadership to call my rep and to get all our members to call.

Urgently!

The message said, “Attack on our pensions!”

But there is no back story on the IEA web site. No mention of any impending bill. Searching the internet I could only find the statement from the Democrat’s chief lawyer saying that any change in the pensions for public service employees would be unconstitutional.

I searched more on the internet. Googled. Checked all the blogs that cover Springfield.

Nothing.

What’s up? What’s urgent?