WILMETTE–A new report by Taxpayers United of America (TUA) reveals that many government school employees and retirees of Wilmette School District 39 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 Jim Tobin, President of TUA. “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.”
“Wilmette SD 39’s employees are really raking it in,” said Tobin. “The largest salary goes to Raymond Lechner whose annual salary is $236,621. Marie Shinners isn’t far behind, making $209,011. And at $185,430 a year, Margaret Clauson is a close third. ”
“Wilmette SD 39’s retired teachers in the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) are also getting rich” said Tobin. “The largest annual TRS pension goes to Glenn McGee, whose annual pension is a staggering $184,119 — $15,343 a month. Sam Mikaelian already has received a total pension payout of $1,888,603.
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.
“Three crucial reforms can save the system and spare Illinois taxpayers. First, new government hires should be put into social security and required to fund their own retirements with 401(k) plans. Ending pensions for new government hires will eventually eliminate unfunded government pensions. Second, in Illinois, if each current state pension fund employee were required to contribute an additional 10% to his or her pension, taxpayers would save over $150 billion over the next 35 years. And finally, requiring Illinois public employees to pay for one-half of their health care premiums would save even more – an estimated $230 billion over current projections.”
Click here to view Wilmette’s top government school salaries.
Click here to view Wilmette’s top government school pensions.
Click here to view this News Release as a PDF.