Green Bay Taxpayers Duped by Government Pension Secrecy

By on October 30, 2013   /   Latest, News Releases, Pension Reform, Wisconsin  

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Green Bay—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today released the results of its study of the Green Bay Municipal, Brown County, and Brown County Government school employees.
“The State of Wisconsin, hiding behind a secrecy law, refuses to release actual pension payments derived from huge taxpayer subsidies. Because we have a right to know just how much ‘public servants’ get paid not to work, we must estimate the pensions of current employees,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
“While Wisconsin may have made big moves in improving their government pension system, the state is a long way from stabilizing a broken system.”
“Taxpayers need to listen to economists who know what they are talking about and not the government bureaucrats who are responsible for the fund’s performance. Wisconsin’s pension fund is not 99% funded and if we don’t face reality and plan appropriately, we will be in as terrible shape as Illinois.”
“A government pension’s unfunded liability is calculated by using a rate of return on investment or discount rate to determine the future value of the current value of the asset, or cash balance compared to the total defined benefits that have to be paid out.  Wisconsin pension fund managers are using 7.2% for that calculation when private standards call for a rate of about 3.25%.”
“That may not sound like much of a difference but what it means to Wisconsin taxpayers is about $60 billion in unfunded liabilities, according to the State Budget Solution analysis.”
“75% to 80% of local taxes go to pay the salaries and pensions of government employees. Taxpayers have a right to see the details of those payments. How can taxpayers understand exactly how much their government employees are being paid in total compensation, salary plus benefits, without access to the actual payments to retirees? Wisconsin taxpayers have a right to review, evaluate, and make decisions about those payments.”
“That is precisely why we are here now, releasing the salaries and pension estimates for the Green Bay and Brown County government employees. $60 billion dollars in unfunded liabilities is really hard to comprehend, but when you see what actual people in your community get in salaries and how those salaries become a pension tax burden of more than $10,437 for every man, woman, and child, the problem becomes clear.”
“For example, Yogesh C. Pareek, Brown County clinical director, makes $245,242 in annual salary. Assuming he meets the criteria for a full pension, he would collect an estimated annual pension and Social Security payment of $197,600*. Those annual payments would accumulate to $4,149,592* over a normal lifetime. Remember this is what he would be paid not to work for about 21 years.”
“Brown County government school employee Michelle Langenfeldgets an annual salary of $190,000 plus another $50,000 in fringe benefits. Her estimated annual pension with Social Security is $159,000* and her estimated lifetime payout is $3,339,000*.”
“Green Bay municipal government employee, Edward E. Wiesner gets an annual gross of $108,211. His estimated lifetime pension payout is $2,136,705* based on his annual estimated pension and Social Security payment of $101,748*.”
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“Wisconsin taxpayers who are on the hook for unfunded liabilities get an average ‘pension’ from Social Security of about $15,000. Private sector taxpayers don’t enjoy nearly iron-clad job security and struggle with average unemployment of 6.7% and in some areas, over 10%.”
“While our pension estimates are a very useful education tool, I encourage Green Bay and all Wisconsin taxpayers to demand the right to review pension payments. I have written letters to Governor Walker and every member of the state legislature, urging them to stop hiding pension payments from taxpayer review.”
“Wisconsin needs not only to be more transparent, but to continue with pension reforms that will bring its government employee benefits in line with those of the private sector. Specifically, government pensions need to be replaced with 401k-style retirement savings accounts where taxpayer contributions are made when the conditions allow it. Government employees need to increase their contributions to match the level of the private sector, and government retirees and employees need to pay for at least half of their health-care premiums.”
*Gross wages provided by government administrator and may include overtime or PTO that would not be eligible for pension calculation.
Annual Pension Estimate Assumptions:
1. Assumes employee retires one year from now and this salary would be the second to last salary.
2. Assumes 41 or more years of employment with SS W/H, retirement age is 65, and fully vested with 70% pension
3. Plus Social Security (non-firefighters) assuming 4% salary increases over last 35 years.
Lifetime Pension Estimate uses IRS Life Expectancy Table (Form 590) at age 65 = 21 years

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Wisconsin Government Pension Multimillionaires Protected by Secrecy Law

By on October 22, 2013   /   Items of Interest, Latest, Pension Reform, Taxpayer Alert, Wisconsin  

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Madison—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today released the results of its study of the Wisconsin State, University of Wisconsin, Madison Municipal, Dane County, and Dane County Government school employees.
“The State of Wisconsin refuses to release actual pension payments, hiding behind a secrecy law, the huge subsidies from taxpayers. Because we have a right to know just how much ‘public servants’ get paid not to work, we estimate the pensions of current employees.” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
“While Wisconsin has made some important reforms to its government employee pension system, taxpayers won’t be protected until retirement savings accounts replace pensions and put an end to unfunded liabilities.”
“Wisconsin boasts a 99% funded pension system but the government standards for this calculation are far more generous than private sector standards. When those more accurate standards are used, Wisconsin government pensions are only about 54% funded.”
“75% to 80% of local taxes go to pay the salaries and pensions of government employees. Taxpayers have a right to see the details of those payments. How can taxpayers understand exactly how much their government employees are being paid in total compensation, salary plus benefits, without access to the actual payments to retirees? We have a right to review, evaluate and make decisions about those payments.”
“That is precisely why we are here now, releasing the salaries and pension estimates for the Wisconsin government employees.”
“For example, David C. Villa, a board executive for the state, makes a stunning $669,145 in annual salary. Assuming he meets the criteria for a full pension, he would collect an estimated annual pension and Social Security payment of $494,401*. Those annual payments would accumulate to $10,382,430* over a normal lifetime.”
“University of Wisconsin Athletics Director, James K. Aagaard  gets an annual salary of $500,000. His estimated annual pension with Social Security is $376,000* and his estimated lifetime payout is $7,896,001*.”
“Dane County government school employee, Jane Belmore gets an annual salary of $201,438 and fringe benefits of $36,588. Her estimated lifetime pension payout is $3,507,139* based on her annual estimated pension and Social Security payment of $167,007*.”
“Wisconsin taxpayers who are on the hook for unfunded liabilities get an average ‘pension’ from Social Security of about $15,000. Private sector taxpayers don’t enjoy nearly iron-clad job security and struggle with average unemployment of 6.7% and in some areas, over 10%.”
“While our pension estimates are a very useful education tool, I encourage Madison and all Wisconsin taxpayers to demand the right to review pension payments. I have written letters to Governor Walker and every member of the state legislature, urging them to stop hiding pension payments from taxpayer review.”
“Wisconsin needs not only to be more transparent, but to continue with pension reforms that will bring its government employee benefits in line with those of the private sector. Specifically, government pensions need to be replaced with 401k-style retirement savings accounts where taxpayer contributions are made when the conditions allow it. Government employees need to increase their contributions to match the level of the private sector, and government retirees and employees need to pay for at least half of their health-care premiums.”
Click below to view pensions:

 
*Gross wages provided by government administrator and may include overtime or PTO that would not be eligible for pension calculation.
Annual Pension Estimate Assumptions:
1. Assumes employee retires one year from now and this salary would be the second to last salary.
2. Assumes 41 or more years of employment, retirement age is 65, and pension is 70%
3. Plus Social Security assuming 4% salary increases over last 35 years.
Lifetime Pension Estimate uses IRS Life Expectancy Table (Form 590) at age 65 = 21 years

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Illinois' Corporate Income Tax is 9.5% – Fourth Highest in US!

By on October 10, 2013   /   Illinois, Items of Interest, Latest, News Releases, Pension Reform, Taxpayer Alert  

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The Illinois state corporate income tax is not 7% as some politicians, columnists and organizations have erroneously stated, but is actually 9.5%, according to the president of one of the nation’s largest taxpayer groups.
“The total Illinois corporate state income tax rate of 9.5% includes a base rate of 7% and another 2.5% on top of that, which was added by constitution amendment in 1980,” said Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America. “The additional tax was called a ‘personal property replacement tax,’ which purportedly replaced a 19th-century tax that was not even being collected.”
The Ill. Dept. of Revenue’s own website states: “For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, corporations pay 7.0 % income tax and 2.5% replacement tax.”
“Two years ago the Democrat-controlled state legislature pushed through a huge, back-breaking 67% increase in the state personal income tax, as well as hiking the state corporate income tax. Every dollar from these gigantic tax increases is being pumped into the terminally-ill state government employee pensions funds, and these funds, which fund lavish gold-plated pension plans, are still going under.”
According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C., “The Illinois corporate state income tax rate, recently raised from 7.3% to 9.5%, rose from being the 21st highest overall corporate tax rate in the country to 4th highest. Almost all nearby states have lower state corporate state income tax rates, putting Illinois in a very unfavorable position competitively.”
“Now Springfield Democrats are pushing for a state graduated income tax with a top tier of as much as 11%. Illinois, which is struggling to survive economically, undoubtedly would become an economic wasteland if the state’s most productive individuals and corporations flee to states with lower tax rates.”

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