Monday, January 09, 2006
Part III - IFT Questionnaire - Retiree Health Benefits
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when the Union Biggies were discussing this one. They had to have know they were asking for a system that would continually verge on bankruptcy without huge infusions of additional taxpayer money.
And, the legislators. Were they oblivious? Or did they just not care they were voting for an unsustainable benefit that would be considered an entitlement by the retired teachers? Probably a little of both.
Nevertheless, undoubtedly with the support of large numbers of lame duck legislators, the bill passed and Governor Jim Edgar signed it.
The retired teachers soon figured out that the money was not there to pay their medical bills and sought a legislative bailout…repeatedly.
They held rallies, one at McHenry County College. I still remember the question from one retired teacher about why we legislators were not willing to pay for their state health insurance the same was we did for all the other retired state employees.
My answer did not please the audience. I told them they had not been state employees. I asked if the state treasurer and the state comptroller had signed their checks.
The answer was, of course, “No.” Their local school district had cut their payroll checks.
After that the phraseology changed. I think they started asking if we would support health benefits for retired teachers the way we did for the other state retirement systems.
I think the retired teachers finally convinced the working teachers to pay a larger portion of their salaries into the fund for retirement health benefits and (“agreed upon”) remedial legislation was passed. Somehow, I doubt it solved the problem.
To return to McHenry County Blog, click here.
And, the legislators. Were they oblivious? Or did they just not care they were voting for an unsustainable benefit that would be considered an entitlement by the retired teachers? Probably a little of both.
Nevertheless, undoubtedly with the support of large numbers of lame duck legislators, the bill passed and Governor Jim Edgar signed it.
The retired teachers soon figured out that the money was not there to pay their medical bills and sought a legislative bailout…repeatedly.
They held rallies, one at McHenry County College. I still remember the question from one retired teacher about why we legislators were not willing to pay for their state health insurance the same was we did for all the other retired state employees.
My answer did not please the audience. I told them they had not been state employees. I asked if the state treasurer and the state comptroller had signed their checks.
The answer was, of course, “No.” Their local school district had cut their payroll checks.
After that the phraseology changed. I think they started asking if we would support health benefits for retired teachers the way we did for the other state retirement systems.
I think the retired teachers finally convinced the working teachers to pay a larger portion of their salaries into the fund for retirement health benefits and (“agreed upon”) remedial legislation was passed. Somehow, I doubt it solved the problem.
To return to McHenry County Blog, click here.
# posted by Cal Skinner : 5:57 PM
