Posts tagged property tax
Op-ed: Kathy Hochul’s Get-Past-November Budget
May 28, 2026 // Now for the category of making the state less affordable: Democrats reversed some of the state’s 2012 pension reforms. Teachers hired since those reforms will now be able to retire at age 58, instead of 63. The budget also slashes employee contributions to their pensions, and allows police and firefighters to count more overtime pay toward their pension calculations. These pension sweeteners are expected to cost the state and local governments $557 million a year. That will invariably mean higher taxes down the road. Democrats are helping Mr. Mamdani pay for them by allowing the city to re-amortize its pension liabilities, which will save $2.3 billion between this and next year while increasing costs in the long run by $5 billion.
CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION SEES PLENTY OF SCANDALS IN 2023
December 27, 2023 // The union’s decisions directly impact residents. The union spent millions to get its former employee Brandon Johnson elected mayor. CTU has failed to provide required annual audits to members and had to raise its dues $160 for 2024 – most likely to make up for its financial missteps. Yet it spends less than 17 cents of each dollar representing those members.
MADIGAN’S ARRAIGNMENT OVER AT&T BRIBERY CHARGES SET FOR NOV. 1
October 28, 2022 // Since acknowledging the scheme to curry favor with Madigan by trading legal contracts to his law firm, offering little- or no-work jobs for political pals, reserving internships for preferred candidates and advancing a Madigan ally to the company’s board of directors, ComEd also agreed to pay $200 million in restitution. Illinois labor unions contributed $10 million over 26 years to campaign funds under Madigan’s control. He responded by building up union power and a generous public pension system that Illinois taxpayers cannot afford.