By: Diane Benjamin
Obviously nothing happened at the Bloomington City Council meeting last night to change the pension spiking policies that have cost taxpayer’s millions. Policies can’t be changed close to an election, so the gravy train for government employees continues.
According to the nearly year old financial statements that were just released, employees can accumulate vacation days too:
How much will this cost in the future?
The almost $11 million does NOT include the penalties the City will be forced to pay if pension spiking is allowed to continue!
OPEB is Other Post Employment Benefits, add that to net pension liability and it proves government exists for government employees – not taxpayers.
Source: Here See PDF pages 46 and 76.
HR claimed last week that negotiations are starting with many of the City’s unions. The first group that needs their compensated absences abolished are the non-union people. Two courts have ruled that ending pension spiking does not “diminish pensions” as defined in the Illinois Constitution. The change should be made immediately!
Details: https://blnnews.com/2017/03/05/excuses-over-renner/
The unions that do have contracts that allow spiking can then be told the taxpayer fleece ends now. If they don’t like it, outsource their jobs! City employees need to quit running the City at taxpayer expense.
Compensated Absences aren’t just a problem in Bloomington. The Illinois Policy Institute just released a report: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/unpaid-sick-leave-will-cost-taxpayers-3-4-billion-over-the-next-three-decades/
Illinois residents can stay here just to fund lavish benefits for public sector unions, or leave. The mass out-migration continues, so it appears many have made their choice.
The Greece government at one time had a debt crisis due to obligations for pensions and public expenditures. No you can’t keep funding government lavish benefits with a dwindling economy. Bloomington is headed in the same direction as Greece, bankruptcy. This also factors into the Illinois budget. What do they expect the government to do, print money just to pay for their lavish benefits?
In the private sector benefits like what they have has went bye bye a long time ago.
I agree if the unions don’t like it then just outsource their jobs. Which will never happen.
Pitchfork time? Tar and feathers? How about people just get out and VOTE!
Yesterday in the Pravadgraph they ran an article on David Hales turning down his candidacy for a position at Racine , WI. The position there for about the same size city was paying $140 – $150K. Hales here at BLM is earning well over $180K. There is one problem, over paid positions here. Even at $140K I feel that is over compensation.
But they say that crime doesn’t pay.
Hales and the elected officials don’t have the moral fortitude to do the right thing by putting benefits in line with the private sector. The gold plated health care plan is also a financial drain not just short term but long term too. These perks are carried into retirement in most cases. The private sector recognized these types of benefits (pensions) where unsustainable and switched to IRAs for retirements. Health care benifits have also changed to more moderate coverage for the same reason. Changing the benefits packages would not necessarily be political suicide. Constantly raising taxes is in addition to being bad for the overall economy.