Post by title1parent on Mar 27, 2010 9:03:54 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2124948,Senators-pension-reform-NA032710.article
Senators on pension reform: What took so long?
March 27, 2010
By HANK BECKMAN For Sun-Times Media
Local Republican state senators are glad that the state is beginning to reform its largely unfunded pension system. But some are wondering what took so long.
And all of them are skeptical that Gov. Pat Quinn is serious about fiscal responsibility.
"I'll always praise Democrats when they take action on Republican issues," state Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) said Friday.
Dillard joined other area Republicans in at an informal breakfast at Danby Station Restaurant in Glen Ellyn to speak about state issues before local media.
The General Assembly recently passed a pension reform bill that creates a two-tier system affecting those hired after Jan. 1, 2011, a measure that is designed to save the state about $150 billion over 35 years. But the reform still leaves the state with about $78 billion in accumulated unfunded pension liability.
While all present — including Carole Pankau (R-Roselle), Randy Hultgren (R-Winfield), Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) and John Millner (R-Carol Stream) — all agreed that the reform enacted by the legislature was meaningful, Murphy calling it a "really big deal," all agreed that there was much work to be done to reform the state's budget problems.
Dillard in particular noted that the measure gave the Chicago Public School System a three-year pension holiday where it will not be liable for paying into its system.
"That's how we got into this problem," Dillard said of the state's financial woes.
Dillard stressed the unfairness of giving CPS a pension holiday while the rest of the state's school districts have to keep contributing.
Several present noted that the pension reform as passed had no effect on the pension systems of fire and police across the state.
When pressed to admit that pension reform may benefit the Democrats politically in an election year where fiscal responsibility is prominent, most thought the credit would go to both parties.
"The people know we've been pushing for this," Murphy said. "We worked together to solve a problem."
Pankau said that in politics you could "accomplish anything if you don't care who gets the credit," and said it was only the first step in fiscal reform, citing Medicaid reform as another necessity.
None had much faith in Quinn as a fiscal reformer, and all stressed that they were opposed to any form of tax increase.
Dillard said it was always a mistake to raise taxes and give up a competitive advantage over other Midwestern states, and stressed "there is no way in a recession" he would support a tax increase. He also went on to call for reforming Medicaid and the implementation of the ethic reforms proposed by attorney Patrick Collins.
Hultgren was vehemently opposed to a proposal by Quinn to divert up to 30 percent of tax dollars for municipalities to education, a move that Wheaton officials estimate would cost the city $1.3 million.
"It (the proposal) went over like a lead balloon," he said, adding, "It is the wrong thing to do. Let's go after programs that aren't working ... it is putting the mismanagement (of the state's finances) on the backs of local government."
Dillard noted that the state "has been a cause of local government problems because of unfunded mandates."
Murphy summed up the general feeling of the group when he commented on the differing approach of the two parties to solving the state's $13 billion budget shortfall.
"They want to tax their way out of it," he said. "We want to grow our way out of it."
Senators on pension reform: What took so long?
March 27, 2010
By HANK BECKMAN For Sun-Times Media
Local Republican state senators are glad that the state is beginning to reform its largely unfunded pension system. But some are wondering what took so long.
And all of them are skeptical that Gov. Pat Quinn is serious about fiscal responsibility.
"I'll always praise Democrats when they take action on Republican issues," state Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) said Friday.
Dillard joined other area Republicans in at an informal breakfast at Danby Station Restaurant in Glen Ellyn to speak about state issues before local media.
The General Assembly recently passed a pension reform bill that creates a two-tier system affecting those hired after Jan. 1, 2011, a measure that is designed to save the state about $150 billion over 35 years. But the reform still leaves the state with about $78 billion in accumulated unfunded pension liability.
While all present — including Carole Pankau (R-Roselle), Randy Hultgren (R-Winfield), Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) and John Millner (R-Carol Stream) — all agreed that the reform enacted by the legislature was meaningful, Murphy calling it a "really big deal," all agreed that there was much work to be done to reform the state's budget problems.
Dillard in particular noted that the measure gave the Chicago Public School System a three-year pension holiday where it will not be liable for paying into its system.
"That's how we got into this problem," Dillard said of the state's financial woes.
Dillard stressed the unfairness of giving CPS a pension holiday while the rest of the state's school districts have to keep contributing.
Several present noted that the pension reform as passed had no effect on the pension systems of fire and police across the state.
When pressed to admit that pension reform may benefit the Democrats politically in an election year where fiscal responsibility is prominent, most thought the credit would go to both parties.
"The people know we've been pushing for this," Murphy said. "We worked together to solve a problem."
Pankau said that in politics you could "accomplish anything if you don't care who gets the credit," and said it was only the first step in fiscal reform, citing Medicaid reform as another necessity.
None had much faith in Quinn as a fiscal reformer, and all stressed that they were opposed to any form of tax increase.
Dillard said it was always a mistake to raise taxes and give up a competitive advantage over other Midwestern states, and stressed "there is no way in a recession" he would support a tax increase. He also went on to call for reforming Medicaid and the implementation of the ethic reforms proposed by attorney Patrick Collins.
Hultgren was vehemently opposed to a proposal by Quinn to divert up to 30 percent of tax dollars for municipalities to education, a move that Wheaton officials estimate would cost the city $1.3 million.
"It (the proposal) went over like a lead balloon," he said, adding, "It is the wrong thing to do. Let's go after programs that aren't working ... it is putting the mismanagement (of the state's finances) on the backs of local government."
Dillard noted that the state "has been a cause of local government problems because of unfunded mandates."
Murphy summed up the general feeling of the group when he commented on the differing approach of the two parties to solving the state's $13 billion budget shortfall.
"They want to tax their way out of it," he said. "We want to grow our way out of it."
