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Disclosure News Online | WHO’S COLLECTING THE BIGGEST ILLINOIS PENSIONS?

By on April 20, 2015   /   Illinois, Illinois Press, Latest, News Releases, Pension Reform, Press, Taxpayer Alert  

Taxpayers United of America’s recent study of the top 200 Illinois pensioners was cited by Disclosure News Online.

discartBefore getting into the list of individuals with the biggest pensions in Illinois, here’s a look at the average pension payout in the state’s five pension systems and the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (you can view the rest of the fast facts and figures here):

  1. Judges’ Retirement System (JRS) – $128,628
  2. General Assembly Retirement System (GARS) – $56,520
  3. Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) – $51,288
  4. State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) – $38,025
  5. State Universities Retirement System (SURS) – $37,248
  6. IMRF – $13,278*
*The average annual pension figure is from IMRF’s 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the latest available. The 2014 report will be published in June.

Taxpayers United of America, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to tax relief and “fighting government pensions,” released its updated study of the top 200 Illinois pensioners who, as of Feb. 1, 2015, receive more than $200,000 a year in pension benefits.
“There are now 12,154 Illinois government pensions over $100,000 and 85,893 over $50,000,” TUA President Jim Tobin said. “Those are staggering numbers considering the taxpayers who fund these pensions get an average Social Security pension of about $15,000 a year.”
Of the state’s 200 biggest pensioners, 81 belong to TRS and 111 to SURS. A Better Government Association investigation in 2013 revealed many of the top annuitants were University of Illinois at Chicago employees who retired, began collecting their pensions, and then were rehired after waiting the required 60 days in order to work part-time for a smaller salary.
Listed below are the top 25 pensioners along with their current or previous titles and employers. A data table follows with all 200 individuals who are receiving the most in Illinois pensions. Last year’s report can be viewed here.

*Estimated lifetime pension payout includes the 3 percent compounded cost-of-living adjustment and assumes life expectency of 85 (IRS Form 590), according to TUA.

1. Tapas Das Gupta (SURS)

  • Title: Professor, Head of Department of Surgical Oncology, Chief of Service (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $466,409
  • Employee Contribution: $475,331
  • Age at Retirement: 72
  • Pension Collected to Date: $4,256,321
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $5,203,131*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 9.1%

2. Edward Abraham (SURS)

  • Title: Orthopedic Surgeon (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $453,164
  • Employee Contribution: $535,165
  • Age at Retirement: 66
  • Pension Collected to Date: $3,198,430
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $9,002,459*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 5.9%

3. Mahmood Mafee (SURS)

  • Title: Clinical Professor of Radiology (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $404,463
  • Employee Contribution: $562,570
  • Age at Retirement: 64
  • Pension Collected to Date: $3,038,008
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $8,778,156*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 6.4%

4. Herand Abcarian (SURS)

  • Title: Professor of Surgery, Division of Colorectal Surgery (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $370,140
  • Employee Contribution: $628,987
  • Age at Retirement: 67
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,092,580
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $6,833,263*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 9.2%

5. Ronald Albrecht (SURS)

  • Title: Associate Professor of Anesthesiology; Chief, Anesthesiology Service, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $368,742
  • Employee Contribution: $462,077
  • Age at Retirement: 70
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,554,786
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $5,380,260*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 8.6%

6. James Ausman (SURS)

  • Title: Former Head of Neurosurgery at UIC. Currently Professor of Neurosurgery at UCLA
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $338,630
  • Employee Contribution: $418,471
  • Age at Retirement: 70
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,143,866
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $5,155,075*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 8.1%

7. Jacob Wilensky (SURS)

  • Title: Professor of Ophthalmology (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $315,649
  • Employee Contribution: $410,791
  • Age at Retirement: 62
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,822,676
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $7,302,378*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 5.6%

8. Phillip Forman (SURS)

  • Title: Professor Emeritus in Health Policy & Administration Department (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $307,702
  • Employee Contribution: $376,541
  • Age at Retirement: 67
  • Pension Collected to Date: $3,237,873
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $4,871,504*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 7.7%

9. Lawrence Wyllie (TRS)

  • Title: District Superintendent
  • Employer: Lincoln-Way HSD 210
  • Annual Pension: $302,991
  • Employee Contribution: $398,488
  • Age at Retirement: 75
  • Pension Collected to Date: $461,651
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $3,155,952*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 12.6%

10. Joel Sugar (SURS)

  • Title: Professor of Ophthalmology; Cornea Service Vice Chair; Clinical Operations (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $299,512
  • Employee Contribution: $446,643
  • Age at Retirement: 59
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,732,588
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $8,303,189
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 5.4%

11. Edward Andersen (IMRF)

  • Title: Former President & CEO, currently Senior Advisor
  • Employer: CGH Medical-Sterling
  • Annual Pension: $298,123
  • Employee Contribution: $312,570
  • Age at Retirement: 64
  • Pension Collected to Date: $561,267
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $8,049,191*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 3.9%

12. Henry Bangser (TRS)

  • Title: District Superintendent
  • Employer: New Trier TWP HSD 203
  • Annual Pension: $294,524
  • Employee Contribution: $275,366
  • Age at Retirement: 57
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,156,709
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $9,554,224*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 2.9%

13. Gary Catalani (TRS)

  • Title: District Superintendent
  • Employer: CUSD 200
  • Annual Pension: $293,214
  • Employee Contribution: $289,151
  • Age at Retirement: 56
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,890,723
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $10,299,070*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 2.8%

14. Craig Bazzani (SURS)

  • Title: Former Vice President for Business Affairs, currently Senior Advisor for Foundation Advancement at the University of Illinois Foundation
  • Employer: U of I Urbana-Champaign
  • Annual Pension: $290,220
  • Employee Contribution: $298,686
  • Age at Retirement: 55 (Retired under a pension formula intended for police officers and firefighters)
  • Pension Collected to Date: $3,070,262
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $9,385,910*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 3.2%

15. Laura Murray

  • Title: District Superintendent
  • Employer: Homewood-Flossmoor CHSD 233
  • Annual Pension: $288,472
  • Employee Contribution: $298,591
  • Age at Retirement: 57
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,676,100
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $9,948,462*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 3.0%

16. George Honig (SURS)

  • Title: Professor Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics (Current)
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $288,017
  • Employee Contribution: $401,027
  • Age at Retirement: 67
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,712,912
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $4,919,828*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 8.2%

17. Joel Milner (SURS)

  • Title: Professor Emeritus, Psychology (Current)
  • Employer: NIU
  • Annual Pension: $285,635
  • Employee Contribution: $429,142
  • Age at Retirement: 63
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,978,988
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $6,859,441*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 6.3%

18. Mary Curley (TRS)

  • Title: District Superintendent
  • Employer: Hinsdale CCSD 181
  • Annual Pension: $280,172
  • Employee Contribution: $248,708
  • Age at Retirement: 55
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,806,626
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $10,362,182*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 2.4%

19. John Folse (SURS)

  • Title: Chair of Department of Surgery
  • Employer: SIU Carbondale College of Medicine
  • Annual Pension: $279,703
  • Employee Contribution: $288,201
  • Age at Retirement: 67
  • Pension Collected to Date: $3,356,496
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $4,221,029*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 6.8%

20. James Schuler (SURS)

  • Title: Surgeon, Division of Vascular Surgery
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $277,703
  • Employee Contribution: $564,913
  • Age at Retirement: 59
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,330,531
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $7,928,160*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 7.1%

21. Gerald Moss (SURS)

  • Title: Dean of UIC College of Medicine
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $274,386
  • Employee Contribution: $475,674
  • Age at Retirement: 70
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,251,535
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $3,708,289*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 12.8%

21. Henry Gmitro (TRS)

  • Title: District Superintendent
  • Employer: CCSD 93
  • Annual Pension: $273,573
  • Employee Contribution: $282,750
  • Age at Retirement: 56
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,314,213
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $10,192,462*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 2.8%

22. Reginald Weaver (TRS)

  • Title: President
  • Employer: National Education Association
  • Annual Pension: $273,113
  • Employee Contribution: $264,894
  • Age at Retirement: 69
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,576,733
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $4,351,312*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 6.1%

23. Maureen Hager (TRS)

  • Title: District Superintendent
  • Employer: North Shore SD 112
  • Annual Pension: $271,653
  • Employee Contribution: $277,774
  • Age at Retirement: 58
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,353,397
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $9,143,454*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 3.0%

24. Melvin Lopata (SURS)

  • Title: Professor Emeritus of Medicine
  • Employer: UIC
  • Annual Pension: $270,174
  • Employee Contribution: $417,772
  • Age at Retirement: 62
  • Pension Collected to Date: $2,625,165
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $6,085,494*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 6.9%

25. Stephen Rugg (SURS)

  • Title: Comptroller, Vice President for Planning and Administration
  • Employer: U of I Urbana-Champaign
  • Annual Pension: $266,138
  • Employee Contribution: $318,649
  • Age at Retirement: 63
  • Pension Collected to Date: $1,773,886
  • Estimated Lifetime Pension Payout: $6,321,201*
  • Percent Contributed to Estimated Lifetime Payout: 5.0%

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The Herald-News | Taxpayers United focuses on Will County pensions

By on April 16, 2015   /   Illinois, Illinois Press, Latest, Pension Reform, Press  

Taxpayers United of America’s operations director, Jared Labell, was quoted by The Herald-News in an article about Taxpayers United of America’s recent pension release for Will County and Joliet.

Taxpayers United of America on Wednesday put a spotlight on pensions in Will County and Joliet.heraldnewsart

 The Chicago-based organization said 266 public school retirees are collecting pensions in six-figures, while listing pensions for hundreds of individual retirees from area schools, Will County, Joliet and Joliet Junior College.
Public school retirees had the highest pensions, with many of those listed going to former school superintendents, the highest being $303,000 a year.
Taxpayers United has created the same lists for other counties and the state of Illinois in pushing for changes in government pension systems.
Specifically, the organization wants new hires switched to 401(k)-styled retirement accounts and current employees to contribute more money to their pensions.
Individual pensions are listed to draw attention to the state’s pension problems, said Jared Labell, operations director for Taxpayers United.
“I think people’s eyes still glaze over when you’re talking about $111 billion in unfunded liabilities,” Labell said. “We think it’s very helpful to be able to individualize it and put a name to it. Not so people can take up torches and go after their neighbors, but so they can look at it and say, ‘Wow, that’s the teacher who was teaching my son a few years ago and she’s making how much?'”
Some of the most recognized names on the lists are former school superintendents, police chiefs and other administrators whose positions made them public figures.
Taxpayers United drew attention to the pension of former Plainfield School District 202 Superintendent John Harper, whose salary at times was an issue before he retired in 2014.
Harper’s pension, according to Taxpayers United, is $239,019 a year.
Harper, 54, retired last year and took a job as principal at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox. According to Taxpayers United, Harper can expect to collect $11 million in pension payments in his lifetime while contributing a personal investment of 3.2 percent.
Harper could not immediately be reached Wednesday for comment.
Plainfield School District 202 spokesman Tom Hernandez issued a statement saying Harper’s contract was based on his “success guiding what was the fourth largest school district in Illinois through almost 10 years of unprecedented growth, significant curriculum change, tremendous socioeconomic changes and many other challenges unique” to the school district.
Harper had the second highest pension in Will County, according to the list.
The highest is former Lincoln-Way School District 210 Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie, at $302,991. Wyllie’s contributions were calculated at 13.2 percent. The school district could not be immediately reached for comment.
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Pensions Listed at taxpayersunitedofamerica.org

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Killer Taxes Choke the Life Out of Will County

By on April 15, 2015   /   Illinois, Illinois Press, Latest, News Releases, Pension Reform, Press, Taxpayer Alert  

View as PDF Chicago, IL – Taxpayers United of America (TUA) has released its most recent government pension study exposing individual pensions for Joliet municipal, Will County, Will County government schools, and Joliet Junior College retirees.
“Across the 5 state pension funds, there are more than 12,154 government pensioners collecting six-figure pensions and over 85,893 pensioners collecting more than $50,000 where the local per-capita income is about $30,377 and the state debt per capita is $24,959,” said Jared Labell, TUA’s director of operations.
“266 Will County government teachers are drawing more than $100,000 in annual pension payments and 2,092 are getting more than $50,000! On average, these government pensioners contribute only about 5.5% to their own retirement payout.”
“Until 2011, Joliet was the fastest growing city in the region but that growth has slowed to just .85% in 2014. Government is the problem – government is the largest employer in Joliet and government payroll and pensions come from taxation. Government jobs don’t create wealth or growth – they simply siphon more money away from individual taxpayers.”
“The Joliet police and fire pension funds are in abysmal shape, each funded only about 50%.  Worse yet, Joliet’s IMRF liabilities are only about 35% funded. This is putting services in jeopardy, as pensions for services rendered in the past are competing for tax dollars needed for current services.”
“Taxpayers already are contributing four times as much to the pension funds than the government employees themselves, so for every dollar an employee puts into the fund, you and I put in 4.  Forcing taxpayers to pay such a heavy portion of someone else’s retirement is criminal.”
“It is time to protect the future of taxpayers who have been scammed by politicians and union thugs into going along with a system that creates and constitutionally protects a special class of government elite.”
“It’s also time for union leadership to have a frank discussion with the rank and file, educating them on the inevitable collapse of an unsustainable crony system designed to siphon money from taxpayers for the benefit of the few. The unions should use those dues forced from members to bail out the pension system rather than use those funds to elect political cronies who keep them in power.”
“Take a look at John R. Harper who retired from Plainfield SD 202. He gets $239,019 in annual pension payments. Retiring at only 54, his taxpayer funded pension payout will accumulate to more than $11 million! And his personal investment in that payout? A mere 3.2%.”
 
“Then there is Daniel T. Tapper, retired from Will County government. He gets $122,126 in annual pension payments and because he retired at only 50, those payments with compounded annual cost of living adjustments will accumulate to $6.4 million! His personal investment was only about 2.6% or $166,905.”
Click to view pensions for

 
“The average Social Security ‘pension’ is only about $15,000 a year and taxpayers pay 15% of every penny they earn for that modest payout.”
“This government pension system is the single cause of Illinois’ critical financial situation and it is mathematically impossible to tax our way out of this situation. 80% of local taxes go to fund government employee pay, pensions, and benefits.”
“The Illinois government has failed us; local governments have failed us. It is in everyone’s best interest to solve the pension problem before the system completely collapses. It is no longer a matter of ‘if’ it will collapse, but when.”
“Immediately place all new hires into 401(k) style retirement savings accounts, increase member contributions to their retirement fund, increase retirement age for full benefits, and increase member contributions to 50% of health care premiums. Anything short of these reforms will do nothing to permanently solve the problem. If it takes a Constitutional Amendment, then we need to get that on the ballot as soon as possible!”

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DISCLAIMER

Taxpayers United Of America: (TUA). is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(4) taxpayer advocacy group. Founded June 27, 1976 in Chicago, Illinois by activist and economist Jim Tobin, TUA works on behalf of taxpayers to reduce local, state, and federal taxes. In the past forty years, TUA has saved taxpayers more than $200 billion n taxes and has become one of the largest taxpayer organizations in America. Check All posts. s.

ADDRESS

Chicago, IL 60606 205 W. Randolph Street, Suite 1305
Phone: (312) 427-5128
Fax: (312) 427-5139
Website: https://www.taxpayersunitedofamerica.org
Email: info@taxpayersunited.org

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