bcrnews.com | Go to the polls

By on March 15, 2012   /   Illinois Press, Press  

The following commentary by Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United for America, is featured at bcrnews.com. The subject of the commentary is a ballot measure in the city of Princeton, Illinois, on “unlimited home rule taxing power”.

As president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), I am urging voters in the city of Princeton, Illinois, to vote no on the March 20 referendum to adopt unlimited home rule taxing power. Compared to the average income in Princeton, city politicians and bureaucrats already are living like kings.
Right now, the city of Princeton must have support from a majority of voters in order to raise city taxes. If unlimited home rule taxing power is passed, the city could raise property taxes and create new taxes without asking voters for approval. In addition, adopting home rule would exempt the city of Princeton from the current 5 percent property tax cap. The city could then raise city property taxes by any amount, any time.
Home rule also would allow the city of Princeton to impose new taxes on businesses, gasoline, groceries, parking and almost anything else.
Current and retired city bureaucrats already are rolling in money compared with Princeton residents. They don’t need more money from Princeton residents. The average annual income in Princeton is only $37,000; the median value of a home is only $102,000; and current unemployment stands at 10.2 percent. Retired Princeton bureaucrats also are raking in the dough.
Politicians are notorious for scheduling home rule and property tax increase referenda during primaries, when voter-turnout is low. This March 20, if only 10 percent of voters turn out, Princeton bureaucrats, who will be out in force, will be able to pass this home rule referendum easily.
Princeton voters should go to the polls this March 20, along with their family members and neighbors, and vote no on the unlimited home rule taxing power referendum.
Jim Tobin
Berwyn
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Harrisburg PA: Government Pensions Revealed!

By on March 14, 2012   /   Latest, Pennsylvania, Pension Reform  

View release as a PDF
HARRISBURG—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today revealed retired government employee pensions for Harrisburg, Dauphin County, and the State of Pennsylvania. Many Pennsylvania government employees are becoming pension millionaires when retired.
“Many government retirees make more in pension payments than the private sector taxpayers make in salaries,” stated Christina Tobin, TUA Vice President. “Both the economy and the pension system are in serious trouble. While taxpayers struggle to save for their own retirement and fund the pension system, government retirees have to be concerned that their pension payments will continue.”
“I have delivered letters to Gov. Corbett and each member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, calling for meaningful pension reforms that will be both fair and sustainable. TUA is ready to work with legislators to implement reforms that will preserve the system for those that are relying on it, and bring relief to the taxpayers who are obligated to fund it.”
“Private sector taxpayers are struggling in the ‘Great Recession,’ with an average income of $46,000.
The unemployment/underemployment rate (U6) is 14.9%. The maximum Social Security annual payout is $22,000, regardless of how much one may have earned in their working career.”
“Stephen J. Benkovic, retired from Pennsylvania State University, collects an annual pension of $443,880. His estimated lifetime payout is $11,540.874.*”
“Frank L. Oliver, retired from the Pennsylvania General Assembly, has an annual pension of $286,118 with an estimated lifetime payout of $8,583,527*.”
“Retired Harrisburg City employee, Lester M. McClure, has a lifetime estimated payout of $1,772,399* based on his actual annual pension of $59,080.”
“Pennsylvania government pension systems are making millionaires out of public employees at taxpayer expense. Ending pensions for all new government hires and replacing with social security and 401(k)s would eventually eliminate unfunded government pensions. If government employees would just increase their pension contributions, they would preserve their pension benefits. Anything less will ensure the system’s collapse and Pennsylvania government retirees will get nothing. We need a stable system that is fair to both taxpayers and beneficiaries.”
“Every employee deserves a fair wage for the work they do at the time they do it so they can plan for their own retirement, rather than counting on the bureaucrats who helped create such an unstable situation.”
“This is the time for the political courage to do what’s in the best interest of taxpayers, rather than the special interests. Let’s knock any politician out-of-office, who cuts bad deals with union bosses and corporations! Republican or Democrat, what’s the difference, with numbers like these?”
View pension amounts below:

*TUA submits FOIA requests for actual pensions. Since personal information is not available, lifetime pension payouts must be estimated based on retirement at 60 for university employees and 55 for all others, life expectancy of 85, and without COLA.
All annual pensions included in this report are derived by annualizing the benefit amount provided by the legal representative of the subject fund.

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Pittsburgh Tribune-Review | Controversy doesn't stop group from disclosing pension figures

By on March 13, 2012   /   Pennsylvania Press, Press  

Findings from TUA’s pension project on Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are featured in this article at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. UPDATE: An update to the original release that this article is based on has been made here.

A group that is crisscrossing the nation raising alarms about underfunded public pension plans says it will continue to name names, even though some of its data was called into question on Monday in Pittsburgh.
A spokeswoman for Taxpayers United of America said the group is publishing the names and pension incomes of top public pensioners to emphasize the cost to taxpayers.
“Many government retirees make more in pension payments than the private-sector taxpayers make in salaries,” said Christina Tobin, vice president of the group. “Both the economy and the pension system are in serious trouble. While taxpayers struggle to save for their own retirement and fund the pension system, government retirees have to be concerned that their pension payments continue.”
Confronted with statements that it dramatically inflated pensions for three Pittsburgh retirees, Tobin’s group said those numbers came from the city and would be corrected when the city issues new numbers.
Charles Dayieb, a retired parking supervisor the city says receives an annual pension of $27,380, laughed when he heard the group put his benefit at $180,331 a year.
“If you can find that, please tell me where it is,” Dayieb said.
The group, whose numbers were questioned in Ohio, wants state, local and federal government agencies to place all new employees in 401(k)-type pension plans. Public employees already in lifetime pension plans should be required to increase their contributions by 10 percent and pay half of their health care costs, Tobin said.
They plan to take their proposals to Harrisburg on Wednesday.
Gov. Tom Corbett said he is concerned about the threat public pension costs pose to state and local governments.
“We have to look at the pension issue. This is the Pac-Man of the budget,” Corbett said, referring to the video game in which voracious creatures gobble up everything in sight.
Corbett said taxpayer costs for the pension systems that cover state employees and public school workers are scheduled to increase from $1.6 billion this year to $4 billion in 2016.
Economist Steve Herzenberg, executive director of the Keystone Research Center, cautioned that 401(k)-type plans often include higher overhead costs than traditional pensions.
“Most of those proposals amount to a transfer of money from Main Street to Wall Street,” he said.

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