The only question is what millionaire heiress will Rahm choose to replace her.
Replace who?
Why the heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, Penny Pritzker. She resigned today from the CPS school board.
Rumors are she’s going DC to head up the Commerce Department. Given her union-busting record, I’m surprised Obama didn’t pick her to head up the Labor Department.
Anyway, bah bye.
And bad news from Springfield.
SPRINGFIELD-The Illinois House passed pension reform measures Thursday that would cap “pensionable” salaries at Social Security wages and would increase retirement ages on a sliding scale for employees under age 45.
In another series of “test-votes” as part of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s (D-Chicago) “weekly order of business” process, the House passed its first pension reforms of the 98th General Assembly. The measures now move to the Senate.
The measure capping salaries – $113,700 indexed for inflation – upon which pension benefits can be based passed in the chamber by an overwhelming 101-15 margin. The change would apply only to employees hired before Jan. 1, 2011.
The bill that raises the age at which state employees can begin collecting benefits passed by a closer 76-41 vote; however, the measure would not include Illinois judges. Retirement ages for employees hired before Jan. 1, 2011 would increase by one year for those age 40-45, three years for those age 35-39, and five years for employees under age 35.
Neither bill changes retirement benefits for state employees hired after Jan. 1, 2011, according to Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook), who presented the bills on the House floor. Nekritz said the bills are identical to measures included in a comprehensive bill she has been working on with House Republican leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego).
When asked if she thinks Thursday’s passed measures could be included in a more comprehensive reform bill down the road, Nekrtiz said, “That would be my hope, but that’s off my pay-grade.”
While the House Republicans have largely decided not to participate in the pension “test-vote” process the last two weeks, each bill received close to full participation this time with a number of Republicans supporting each measure.
In light of recent Securities Exchange Commission fraud allegations against the state, Cross conveyed his persisting irritation with Speaker Madigan’s “piecemeal” process in the House to his colleagues.
“But when the SEC says to the state of Illinois, ‘you’ve played games and used gimmicks in the pension area,’ why wouldn’t we come in and come before this body with a holistic, comprehensive approach to solving the pension problem?” Cross asked.
Still denouncing the process and its potential to set up a challenge in court, Cross applauded Nekritz for her efforts and threw his support behind the bill.
Fred Klonsky 
“Rumors are she’s going DC to head up the Commerce Department. Given her union-busting record, I’m surprised Obama didn’t pick her to head up the Labor Department.”
Good point, and one that many people refuse to see having bought into his “charm offensive.” It’s what happens when you buy the whole package without examining the contents.
In “Bad news from Springfield,” isn’t there a mistake in the wording: “before” and “after”
Read paras. 3, 4 & 5, and tell me that’s not wrong.
Sorry. It’s not wrong.