The “Springfield Way.” Dirty deals in the dark of night in the final ten minutes of the legislative session.
Last year they passed a two-tier pension plan in the Illinois legislature in 12 hours. No discussion. No debate. Teachers hired after January one of this year will need to work 44 years in order to receive 60% of what they would have received as a benefit.
Note: Illinois teachers receive no Social Security benefits.
The current legislative session ends May 31st.
GOP House leader, Tom Cross, known as the “House member to the insurance industry,” has struck a deal with Democratic Party boss Mike Madigan. They have created, at the behest of the Civic Committee, a three-tier pension bill. It will raise costs to teachers or reduce benefits. It is a first step in handing state pensions over to the private sector, turning our retirement benefits over to Wall Street gamblers.
Remember 2008.
As one headline put it, the response by state employees has been “furious.”
For weeks, Cross and Madigan have not been able to get the bill out of committee.
Yesterday morning they posted that all pension committee hearings had been cancelled through Friday.
Then, apparently, a Democratic House member changed their vote. Who? We’ll find out.
This morning the pension committee will meet and vote out the bill. In 24 hours it will go to the entire House.
Dirty deals late in the session. The Springfield Way.
Call 1 888 412 6570. Tell them no.
