Saturday, December 15, 2012
The representatives and senators leaving office in January 2013 will see millions of dollars in pension payments, figures far more sizable than they would've seen in the private sector.
Are you worried about your own retirement? With the downturn in the economy, did your 401k and savings take a big hit? If so, you're like millions of other Americans forced to confront a dramatically different outlook for their post-work years. But one group of pensioners is largely insulated from such concerns — outgoing Illinois lawmakers. The retirement benefits Illinois legislators receive are far more generous than those most of their constituents could collect working full-time jobs, reports Scott Reeder of the Reeder Report, using data from an Illinois Policy Institute analysis in a piece published on Watchdog.org. The anticipated pension benefits of the 34 lawmakers who will depart the state legislature in January show these …
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Pension-related amendment to state constitution on Nov. 6 ballot is confusing, catastrophic and fake reform, say foes and legal experts. What you need to know before you vote.
- ELECTIONS
-
Saturday, October 27, 2012
By Jayette Bolinski, Illinois Watchdog SPRINGFIELD — Opposition to a proposed pension-related constitutional amendment that will go before Illinois voters Nov. 6 is creating strange bedfellows — from public employee unions to good-government groups that agree the question is not worthy of a change to the state’s constitution and does nothing to address the pension crisis. Groups opposed to the amendment are numerous and come from all walks of life. It’s no surprise that public-employee unions are opposed to the amendment, which requires a three-fifths majority vote before any public body can approve a pension benefit increase. Good-government groups, such as the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability and the Illinois Policy Institute, …
Sunday, October 7, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — Political news here this week largely was marked by the first of three presidential election debates, the November election and the sentencing of a former state government political insider. Obama, Romney fail to address states’ debt during debate The presidential debate Wednesday focused on domestic issues with one glaring exception — the skyrocketing pension debt crushing state governments nationwide. And the chances that voters will hear Democrat President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney address that issue before the election are slim, one observer said. “I do think it’s going …
Sunday, September 30, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Voter purges and other campaign news began to take center stage in Illinois as September drew to a close and the November election looms. Southern Illinois counties purge 4,000 from voter rolls Two cash-strapped counties in far southern Illinois purged more than 4,000 names from the voter rolls ahead of the November presidential election. Alexander and Massac counties at the southern tip of the state culled the voters from the rolls for reasons like death and relocation. State elections officials say they are continuing efforts to clean up Illinois’ lists of registered voters. “Having good, clean …
Sunday, September 9, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Much of Illinois’ political attention this week was focused on the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., where Gov. Pat Quinn addressed thousands of delegates and the nation on Tuesday, followed by Illinois’ own President Barack Obama’s address on Thursday. Quinn takes stage at Democratic National Convention Quinn called out Republicans for “smearing” Obama’s record on welfare reform and other issues during a speech Tuesday evening at the party’s national convention. The theme of Quinn’s speech was “facts are stubborn things,” a quote he attributed to President John Adams. He disputed …
Sunday, September 2, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — With the Labor Day weekend looming, unionized state employees found themselves tangled in much of the news that affected state government last week — from the state’s continued pension-reform gridlock to a dispute over raises for state workers. S&P downgrades IL’s credit rating, citing pension stalemate Standard and Poor’s nicked the state of Illinois’ credit rating Wednesday, citing its “weak pension funding levels and lack of action on reform measures.” S&P downgraded Illinois from an A+ rating to an A rating. A lower credit rating means the state could pay more for interest when it borrows money…
Sunday, August 5, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn increased transparency in one part of state government this week, but his own office failed to release emails that could shine light on his handling of public discourse about prison closures. Prepaid tuition fund to become more transparent Illinois families who invested in the state’s troubled prepaid tuition program will enjoy more transparency in the system because of legislation signed into law Wednesday. The bill, House Bill 3923, requires meetings about the state’s prepaid tuition fund, known as College Illinois!, to be open to the public under the state’s Open Meetings Act. The …
Monday, July 30, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Monday, July 30, 2012
SPRINGFIELD — A severe drought devastating crops throughout Illinois prompted concerns about the potential costs of disaster aid and crop insurance payouts later this year. And House lawmakers will take up pension reform when they return to the Capitol for a special session Aug. 17. Here is the week in review: Taxpayers on the hook for millions in crop insurance payouts An environmental watchdog says taxpayers nationwide, including Illinois, will be on the hook for millions, if not billions, of dollars in crop insurance for grain farmers hit hard by this summer’s devastating drought. Government aid, mostly in the form of low-interest loans, will not provide much help for farmers suffering through the drought because of the slow, creeping …
dale evans
3:16 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
The Federal Govt is 'borrowing' from their OWN employees pension fund. The Beast is eating it's own tail. more ›