Cutting back on those charitable donations.

This might make the Art Institute Lions roar.

I’ve been hearing this a lot lately.

It came up again the other night when I spoke to a group of 80 retirees at the Wilmette Public Library.

We’re not giving charitable donations to certain organizations anymore.

With the threatened cuts in our pensions and with our state pension as our main retirement source of income. Well. Something’s got to give.

That something is the gift some gave to the Art Institute. Or the Chicago Symphony.

I used to give to the education program at the Goodman. No more.

And retirees are telling the organizations why, suggesting they contact whoever they are politically connected to and tell them what’s happening.

I received a sample letter today:

Summer, 2012

To Whom It May Concern:

As much as I’d like to either donate to or join your fine organization, my discretionary spending is now in limbo as is the future of my promised IL state pension benefits. 

As you may or may not know, the legislative leaders in the state of IL (Gov. Pat Quinn, Rep. Michael Madigan, Sen. John Cullerton, and Rep. Tom Cross, et. al.) through proposed legislation are attempting to force me and over 100,000 other state pensioners from various state pension systems to choose how we want our hard earned and promised benefits reduced. 

Until I know whether or not my promised pension benefits will be maintained or not, I cannot at this time in good conscious contribute/join your fine organization. My guess is all my fellow state pensioners are having similar thoughts and like me, will determine the future course of their discretionary spending of donating or joining organizations based on the state of Illinois’ legislative actions. 

Sincerely,

A potential donor with an IL state pension