View Release as PDF
CHICAGO—High taxes and corruption go hand-in-hand in Illinois, according to Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Illinois is easily the most corrupt state in the union,” said Tobin. “The previous front-runner, Louisiana, is now a distant second. And the mother-lode of corruption is the Democrat machine of Cook County, which runs roughshod over the entire state.”
“Illinois’ high taxes are driving small and medium businesses out of the state. But the Springfield Democrats don’t care; all they care about is pampering the unions who are their financial benefactors and who own these legislators in the General Assembly.”
“Brian Costin, writing in the May 16 issue of Illinois Corruption Watch, put it well when he wrote:”
When it rains it pours in Illinois. We found 45 different news stories relating to Illinois corruption in just the month of April. They continue to pile up in the first half of May, with 28 new news stories on corruption already. This includes tales of patronage hiring (again), using public resources for political campaigns (again), a politician who has to pay a $550,000 federal corruption fine and a story about secret waitlists on veterans at an Illinois VA Hospital.
“The so-called pension reform bills passed by the Ill. General Assembly are just window-dressing, and even these ‘reforms’ are being challenged. A coalition of labor unions asked a court in Springfield to prevent a new state law aimed at curbing Illinois’ public employee pension debt from taking effect next month until questions about its ‘constitutionality’ have been resolved.”
“According to St. Rep. Michael W. Tryon (R-66, Crystal Lake), Article VIII of the Illinois Constitution is clear in its mandate that appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year. In February, the House unanimously adopted House Joint Resolution 80, which set the FY15 revenue estimate at $34.5 billion. The total appropriations approved on Thursday exceeded that estimate by close to $3 billion.”
“Illinois has over $187 billion in unfunded government-employee pensions, some of the highest taxes in the country, and is run like a banana republic by machine bosses, Michael J. Madigan (D), House Speaker, and John J. Cullerton (D), Senate President. Until these leaders and their minions in the House and Senate are thrown from office, Illinois will continue to spiral around the drain and some day will literally go bankrupt.”
“How many elected and appointed Illinois politicians have to go to jail before we learn that we can’t send unchecked, copious amounts of cash to be administered by these criminals? As taxpayers, we must stop the life-blood that perpetuates the Illinois cartel; we must cut off the money supply and demand sane and moral tax policies that respect the taxpayers’ right to keep their own money and make their own decisions about how it is spent….or not.”
“And we start by firing every politician from Gov. Patrick Quinn down to every village administrator who thinks taxpayer money is theirs for the taking.”
View Release as PDF
CHICAGO—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today released the results of their updated study of the top pensioners of Illinois state pension funds, including SURS, TRS, IMRF, and GARS.
“Illinois leaders, Gov. Patrick Quinn (D), Michael Madigan (D), and John Cullerton (D), insist that we have a revenue problem,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA. “They point to the so called pension reforms passed last year, which have not curbed the growth of unfunded liabilities and in fact, Illinois’ government pension liabilities have grown to $187 billion.”
“It is unconscionable that these lawmakers, also known as The Most Notorious Tax Villains, support increasing the state income tax on as many as 85% of Illinois through a graduated income tax, or at the very least, making the ‘temporary income tax surcharge permanent.”
“It has never been clearer that the job-killing policies of raising taxes to prop up the gold-plated government pensions, and the union votes that follow, are more important to these Tax Villains than the future of Illinois itself.”
“How can any government bureaucrat look at the individual pension payouts and deny that this system is unsustainable? There are over 11,054 state pensioners now receiving more than $100,000 per year. By the year 2020, there will be 25,000. There are over 78,526 state pensioners receiving annual pension payments over $50,000. These lavish pensions are funded by taxpayers who get an average Social Security pension of about $15,000.”
“Illinois still has the second highest unemployment rates at 8.4%, the second highest property taxes in the country, and the lowest rating in the country for its general operating bonds. The tax and spend Tax Villains responsible for the financial fiasco need to be fired at the ballot box in November.”
“What does $187 billion in unfunded pension liability look like to Illinois residents? Well, I’m sure you all remember Tapas das Gupta, who has topped our list since we have been publishing the list. His annual pension has grown to $452,843. Of course his estimated lifetime payout gets him a spot on millionaires’ row at, $5,276,384.”
View the State of Illinois Top 200 Government Pensions as of April 1, 2014.
“Not far behind Gupta is Edward Abraham whose annual pension is $439,965, or $9,073,587 in estimated lifetime payouts.”
“There are at least five government retirees in these funds that are on track to receive more than $10,000,000 in taxpayer funded payments. One such retiree may realize $11,535,660. Larry K. Fleming retired from Lincolnshire-Prairie View District 103 at the age of 55 and is now receiving $258,163 per year. He paid in a whopping $326,507 or 2.8% of his estimated lifetime payout.”
“These are shocking amounts for taxpayers to be on the hook. And while these represent the highest pensions, it does not diminish the fact that every Illinois resident, man, woman and child, share about $15,000 in unfunded liabilities for these state pension systems alone. On top of this is the unfunded liability for healthcare and the other 600+ local pension systems that don’t participate in the statewide pension funds. It is also shocking to realize that so many government retirees will be paid not to work for more years than they are actually employed!”
“Illinois’ government employee pensions are in dire trouble with no end in sight. Government employees, like the vast majority of taxpayers should save for their own retirement. Taxpayers simply can’t afford to pay so many, so much, to do absolutely nothing and retirees can’t afford the inaction of Illinois lawmakers who are afraid to alienate the special-interest money that keeps them in office.”
“Without sweeping and immediate reform, Illinois’ pension system will collapse. We need to fire Quinn, Madigan, Cullerton, and every one of the Tax Villains who support a graduated income tax or any other tax increase intended to prop up the failed government pension system rather than muster the political courage to end unfunded pension liabilities forever.”
“Pension reform must include raising retirement age to 67, increasing employee contributions by 10%, increasing healthcare contributions to 50% for employees and retirees, eliminating all COLA’s, and replacing the defined benefit system with a defined contribution system for all new hires. It’s mathematically impossible to tax your way out of this problem. Illinois has more than 11,000 retirees collecting more than $100,000 in annual pensions; in 2020, that will be over 25,000 six figure pensioners.”
*Lifetime estimated pension payout includes 3% compounded COLA and assumes life expectancy of 85 (IRS Form 590).
View as PDF
PEORIA—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today released the results of a new pension study of the pensioners of Peoria municipal and county government, Peoria County government schools, and Illinois Central College.
“Illinois leaders, Gov. Patrick Quinn (D), Michael Madigan (D), and John Cullerton (D), continue to fail in their duty to taxpayers in Peoria,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA. “Despite the so called pension reforms passed last year, Illinois’ government pension liabilities have grown to $187 billion.”
“St. Sen. David Koehler (D-46 Peoria), along with Quinn, Madigan, and Cullerton, have been named among Illinois’ Most Notorious Tax Villains for their support of increasing the state income tax on as many as 85% of Peoria taxpayers through a graduated income tax.”
“It has never been clearer that the job-killing policies of raising taxes to prop up the gold-plated government pensions, and the union votes that follow, are more important to these Tax Villains than the future of Illinois itself.”
“The proposed graduated state income tax is nothing more than a money grab for the government bureaucrats who would rather take every last penny of taxpayer income for their own enrichment.”
“Peoria has one of the highest unemployment rates at 10.1% and the second highest property taxes of comparable cities in the midwest. More than half of the backbreaking property tax bills go to schools, but what is Peoria getting for its money? Eight low-performing schools.”
“What does $187 billion in unfunded pension liability look like to Peoria residents? Retired Peoria County employee, Kevin W. Lyons, is enjoying a cool $147,129 annual pension that will accumulate to an amazing $6,302,797 in estimated lifetime payouts because he was able to retire at the ripe old age of 55. His personal contribution to that payout was only a little more than $200,000, or 3.2%.”
“Francis H. Hinton II, II retired from Peoria SD 150. His estimated lifetime payout is a stunning $4,928,048 based on a cushy annual payment of $182,085.”
Click on the links below to view the complete lists of top Peoria government pensions:
- Peoria Government Schools Page 1
- Peoria Government Schools Page 2
- Peoria Municipal and County Government
- Illinois Central College
“These are shocking amounts for taxpayers to be on the hook. And while these represent the highest pensions, it does not diminish the fact that every Peoria household owes about $4,000 to fund the pensions alone. Peoria Taxpayers pay 4 times more toward the city government pensions than the government employees who will be paid not to work for more years than they are actually employed!”
“Illinois’ government employee pensions are in dire trouble with no end in sight. Government employees, like the vast majority of taxpayers should save for their own retirement. Taxpayers simply can’t afford to pay so many, so much, to do absolutely nothing and retirees can’t afford the inaction of Illinois lawmakers who are afraid to alienate the special-interest money that keeps them in office.”
“Without sweeping and immediate reform, Illinois’ pension system will collapse. We need to fire Quinn, Madigan, Cullerton, Koehler, and every one of the Tax Villains who support a graduated income tax or any other tax increase intended to prop up the failed government pension system rather than muster the political courage to end unfunded pension liabilities forever.”
“Pension reform must include raising retirement age to 67, increasing employee contributions by 10%, increasing healthcare contributions to 50% for employees and retirees, eliminating all COLA’s, and replacing the defined benefit system with a defined contribution system for all new hires. It’s mathematically impossible to tax your way out of this problem. Illinois has more than 10,000 retirees collecting more than $100,000 in annual pensions; in 2020, that will be over 25,000 six figure pensioners.”
*Lifetime estimated pension payout includes 3% compounded COLA and assumes life expectancy of 85 (IRS Form 590).
