Most Commented Stories
This weeks most commented stories.
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- Wind farms not the way for greener energy
- Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
- Takes issue with statements on wind farms
- Dixon mayor apologizes to residents
- Airport chief says he speaks for self
- Mystery man likely a truck driver
- What were the red flags of fraud in Dixon?
- Column: (Almost) All things Crundwell
- Area school districts brace for state cuts
- Dixon School Board says put sales tax on ballot
- Sterling City Council passes gaming ordinance
- Saturday local roundup: Both Rock Falls teams win regional titles
- Washington Elementary principal retiring
- Cigarette tax increase offers several benefits
- Sheriff: Gang started prison riot in Mississippi
- Republican policies hurt poor, help rich
- Say no to cuts in Medicaid reimbursement
- Retirees' health care targeted
- Morrison administrator reappointed
- Apology OK; now embrace transparency
- Column: FAQs about Crundwell’s horses, mayor
- Sterling High School wins national recognition
- Morrison: Refinancing would help pay bills
- Dixon mayor mum on legal firm
Most Recent Comments
The most recent comments on the site.
pennie wessels regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/pensions/ct-met-pensions-legislators-20120525,0,7309082.story?page=3 This will take you to page three of an excellent article. On page 2, it says that a good piece of our pension woes have to do with that 3% compounding kick every year -- that came in 1989 under Thompson, a republican, and it even quotes one of the sponsors, our very own Sen. Cal Schuneman, who I ran against, unsuccessfully, in 1988.
pennie wessels regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
"which should save the state a lot of money" -- true, over what you are receiving now. What a marvelous benefit for you when you reach 65, but something that adds to the debt. There are many posts today, and I am short on time until later, but please consider as you rail against the goverment which shorted pension contributions that the money went somewhere, like to more prison staffing. Don't be too sure that your job wouldn't have been even more dangerous, but for...
Vern Klenz regarding Sterling High School wins national recognition
Congratulations to Sterling Public Schools on this award. It is nice to see a district challenge its students for a change. ======== No mention of Dixon winning this award -- oh that's right, Dixon High School ACT composite scores have been below the state average 5 of the last 6 years, and Dixon's ACT math scores have been below the state average for 5 straight years.
Vern Klenz regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
Dave, I feel sorry for you just like I feel sorry for the workers at the mill that lost their pension and healthcare after the bankruptcy. The private sector is full of people that lost their promised pensions and healthcare through no fault of their own; but of the mismanagement of the system by administration.
Vern Klenz regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
Dave said, "Look, for example, at Baloneyvich. He greatly accelerated state spending when the state was already headed for bamkruptcy early in his first term." --------- Yet he was re-elected with major support from the teachers' unions and state employees. Everyone knew that he had ethical problems but the unions still supported him.
Vern Klenz regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
Dave said, "my union would GLADLY allow lowering the pensions of those that abused the system " ====== That's almost funny there Dave. Rich Miller said in one of his columns about the pension guarantee clause in the Constitution, "AFSCME and many others contend that the language means once a worker starts paying into the pension fund, the benefits can never be reduced in any way." ==== Sure sounds to me like they would object to lower pensions. Which is why Quinn went after healthcare benefits that are not mentioned in the Constitution.
Vern Klenz regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
for paying back every penny lost plus the amount SERS should have earned and then pay 7.75% interest (TRS still assumes 8.5% rate of return) until repaid. Just another way that you claim the state shorted the funding.
Vern Klenz regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
Continuing Dave's quote: " but it is the responsibility of the retirement system to invest those funds over the course of our employment and thereafter to raise the funds that will pay our pension. " ======= In the recent "great recession," SERS lost $2.9 billion! More than the employees contributed in the last 13 years. If my investment portfolio had lost every penny that I'd contributed over 13 years, my retirement funding would have declined. But not state employees, the state is responsible (cont next)
Vern Klenz regarding Health insurance bill circumvents the constitution
Dave said, "we paid in 8.5% of our gross, ALONG WITH PAYING INTO SOCIAL SECURITY. Yes, the state paid in a very small percentage" ==== Between FY 1999 (the first year George Ryan was governor) through FY 2011, SERS employees contributed $2.8 billion to the pension fund and the state contributed $8.5 billion! The state has contributed three times as much as the employees. You obviously have a different opinion of what is "a small percentage" than I do.
Steven Humphrey regarding Column: (Almost) All things Crundwell
It might be time for the "I won't be paying my property taxes until the Mayor resigns" yard signs in Dixon. Instead of voting to form a panel to discuss the possibility of hiring a city manager, how about you vote to hire one ..... and to change the form of government rather than placating everyone with 6 months worth of discussion and then not doing anything after the cloud hopefully blows over. He's already back out of the internal investigation so it's not far fetched that he would also back out of instituting any government form change. They thrive off the power, telling you no.
