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CHICAGO–Christina Tobin, Vice President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), testified against Chicago’s proposed speed-camera ordinance on Wednesday, April 11. Speaking before the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety in City Council Chambers at City Hall, Tobin urged the committee “To kill the proposal to add speed-cameras all over the city.”
Tobin made the following points:

• Chicago politicians say speed-cameras will reduce juvenile pedestrian crashes and deaths, but, in reality, these speed-cameras would just be speed-trap cameras to fund city pensions. The proposal has nothing to do with safety. It’s all about money.

• The newspaper Towson Patch reported that when Baltimore County officials rolled out a network of 15 speed cameras in school zones in 2010, they said the program’s success would be measured in two ways: less speeding and fewer accidents. While speeding was reduced, the report showed no decline in accidents in those zones.

Tobin pointed out that as early as 2008, the head of Mayor Daley’s pension reform commission recommended a plan in which newly-hired employees would be put in 401(k) plans favored by private industry instead of unsustainable pension plans. Tobin stressed that Chicago residents need tax relief, not new fines or new taxes, adding, “There is no need to bleed Chicago residents to death.”
“80% of city spending is for salaries & benefits. Most of the Speed Camera revenue will ultimately be used to fund city pensions. Unfunded pensions are the #1 budgetary problem in the United States.”
Tobin’s testimony received coverage from news outlets covering the hearing. Of particular note is video from ABC 7 and WGN TV.
The committee approved the ordinance 7-3. The full City Council will take up the ordinance next week, where Mayor Emanuel will need 26 votes to pass it.

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CHICAGO–Pension millionaires and pension high-rollers have sucked the lifeblood out of the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), charged the President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), Jim Tobin.
“According to the Chicago Tribune, the situation is so dire that the TRS website acknowledged that insolvency is a possibility,” said Tobin.
“TUA just compiled the TRS ‘Top 100 Teacher Pensions’ as of April 1, 2012, and one glance shows why TRS is so badly over-extended.”
Click here to download the Top 100 TRS pension amounts (PDF).
“The top TRS pension, a whopping $269,531 a year, goes to Henry S. Bangser, of New Trier TWP HSD 203. So far Bangser has collected a total pension payout of $1,366,454.”
“But in terms of total pension payout to date (as of 4/1/2010), Bangser is an amateur. Stephen D. Berry, of Township HSD 214, so far has collected a mindboggling $2,591,450, in addition to his annual pension of $189,081.”
“William J. Attea, of Glenview CCSD 34, so far has collected a total pension payout of $2,500,838, with his annual pension of $183,750.”
“The TRS website states that if no new revenues are found, benefits may be reduced. That’s how serious the TRS pension crises is.”
“Compared with salaries and pensions in the private sector, these government-teacher pensions are outrageous. It’s no wonder that the government-employee pensions in Illinois are drowning in red ink.”
“The way to fix the broken pension system is to replace pensions for all new government hires with social security and 401(k)s, and increase current employee contributions. This is the only way to eliminate the unfunded liabilities that plague taxpayers.”
“Finally, voters should kick all Springfield Democrats out of office in 2012. They are the ones who approved the temporary 67% state income tax surcharge, all of which will be pumped into the state pension programs.”