URGENT! The pension of every active and retired state employee in Illinois is now at risk.

It has been reported to me that IEA President Elect and TRS Trustee Cinda Klickna spoke to hundreds of teachers at Naperville North High School yesterday.

Klickna reported that:

• The Illinois Legislature is expected to come after pensions of both active teachers, administrators and present retirees.  The time line is tight.  The two-tier pension system was fully passed last year in less than 24 hours.

• The combined pension debt is immense. Some estimate it at over $100 billion.  The recent tax increase is a drop in the bucket of what is needed to satisfy the pension debt.

•  Big money corporations and wealthy individuals are spreading lies in a well-funded ad campaign about pensions to legislators and the public.

• llinois legislators are in their home districts for this week and next.  Visits are best, telephone calls are next, handwritten letters next, and last are emails (these still are important, but there must be a great many before any attention is given them).

•  May 4 is Lobby Day in Springfield.  IEA has 30 busses filled so far, but many more teachers/administrators and interested individuals are needed to be there on May 4.  There is no charge for the day, and you need not be an IEA member to participate.  Contact your local IEA Office to make a reservation.

My Local of the IEA, the Park Ridge Education Association, is filling a bus to Springfield on Lobby Day with 15% of our members. We are meeting with our State Senator on April 27th.

The situation is grim but not inevitable. Action is urgently needed.

Join us, please.

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