Government School Employees and Retirees of New Trier High School Revel at Taxpayer Expense

WINNETKA–A new report by Taxpayers United of America (TUA) reveals that many government school employees and retirees of New Trier High School receive lavish, gold-plated salaries and pensions that far exceed average annual wages of workers in the private sector.
“These outrageous government-employee pensions are bankrupting the state,” said Christina Tobin, TUA Vice-President. “Springfield House and Senate Democrats just temporarily raised the state personal income tax 67%, all $6.8 billion taxpayer dollars of which is being used to fund the state’s lavish retired government employee pension programs.”
“New Trier’s public school employees are really raking it in,” said Tobin. “The largest salary goes to Linda Yonke, of New Trier Twp HSD 203, whose annual salary is $266,420. Donald Goers, also of New Trier Twp HSD 203, is close behind, making $244,397.”
“New Trier’s retired public school teachers in the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) are also getting rich” said Tobin. “The largest annual TRS pension goes to Henry Bangser, formerly of New Trier Dist. 203, whose annual pension is a staggering $261,680 — $21,806 a month. Robert Larsen, also formerly of New Trier Dist. 203, already has received a total pension payout of $1,849,614.
These retired government employees are sucking the system dry. But the four-year state income tax surcharge can be allowed to expire without cutting government services if the proper reformations are taken.
Ending pensions for all new government hires will eventually eliminate unfunded government pensions; putting new government hires into social security and 401(k)s would achieve this. Requiring Illinois government employees and retirees to pay for one-half of their health care premiums would save Illinois millions of taxpayer dollars.
Click here to view the top government school pensions for New Trier High School.
Click here to view the top government school salaries for New Trier High School.
Click here to view this News Release as a PDF.