Among the responses I received responding to ABC’s lies about teachers not paying into our retirement system:
Hey Fred –
This is what I wrote to abc7 “news” yesterday:
Your story titled “Intelligence Report: Most Illinois teachers pay little or nothing toward retirement accounts” includes false information. All Illinois teachers in the TRS system pay 9.4% of their salary toward TRS retirement. Some districts negotiate some of this expense along with their compensation package just as health insurance costs might be bargained. The ISBE website states “Salaries include tax-sheltered retirement contribution paid or deposited by the district on behalf of the teachers to the Teachers’ Retirement System.” The districts collect the money out of teacher paychecks and send it in to the state.
Just as any employer pays to the government half of their employee social security costs, teachers in the State of Illinois expect their employer, the state, to pay their agreed upon amount. You may want to check into the history of TRS and how the state begged off of social security back in the 40′s so they could collect the money themselves. The savings to the state by not paying into SS has been huge. They never would have been able to borrow from SS like they have from TRS, either. A district will pay what they believe is suitable for a teacher in that district. Many value having teachers live in their communities. That would not be possible in more affluent communities without high teacher salaries. The districts did not set up this system. The state did. It worked until the state abused their authority and shirked their duty to contribute their agreed upon share.
I am extremely disappointed in your poor research and shoddy reporting. Rather than clarify a divisive issue you have further inflamed the taxpayers with false and misleading information.
I received the same response as everybody else.
Today I responded:
You are ignoring negotiated compensation packages. Some School Boards agree to contribute part of a teacher’s required 9.4% as part of their compensation. It is paid either directly or indirectly by the teacher.
I read the entire IPI report before I wrote to you the first time. It also ignores this fact.
Rather than “investigate” this issue you parrot IPI’s bias against the teachers and the districts who hire them to inflame the general public over an issue of which most do not have full knowledge. You did not portray your report as “reporting their study’s conclusions.” You made it seem as though you were revealing a scandal.
Collective bargaining allows these agreements. Perhaps that is why some believe unions should be decertified. This is what appears to be behind your report. You make it seem as though teachers have some sweet deal. Teachers are public servants paid entirely through public funds. Your goal seems to be to suggest that the state should reduce teachers’ compensation.
How pathetic. Somebody needs to get educated.
Kris
++++
Fred,
I sent them part of a picture of my pay stub along with the message that they should actually investigate claims before presenting them.
++++
Fred,
I’m going to send my report to ABC concluding that the sky is green and the moon is made of cheese. I expect them to simply report on my report given that vetting my claims is outside their purview as a news organization
Steve Hodes
++++
Fred,
A Dead-Eye-Seven exclusive report shows that its not just those evil unions! Workers actually never send the government a check for their Social Security contribution – ever! Instead scandalous practice is undertaken: employers actually pay it for them! Rumor has it, this practice is also extending to FICA, federal and state tax deductions as well!
Come on Fred – lighten up on Chuck. Maybe he just didn’t do his due diligence on this issue as he was busy investigating the location of Geraldo’s lost vault or something. I’m sure he’s not shilling for his corporate employer by “reporting” misleading and false information as fact. Stenography of conservative talking points passed off as “reporting” in such a manner would imply his journalistic integrity was questionable and character somewhat lacking. I’m sure that’s not the case at all.
MIC
Fred Klonsky 