Names in the News: Rep. Renée Kosel
Rep. Renée Kosel (R-New Lenox) spoke out about the state's $95 billion pension crisis and the havoc it creates for school districts.
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Rep. Renée Kosel, (R-New Lenox) who currently serves as the Assistant Republican Leader in the House, shared insights about the state's $95 million pension crisis.
In regard to a Dec. 6 finance committee meeting at New Lenox School District 122, she suggested a "grandfather" clause instead of the proposed retroactive, phase-in by local school districts' in regard to teacher pensions.
Read: NLSD122 Approves Estimated Tax Levy Resolution: Not All Board Members Agree
She said something has to be done. The state can't afford to continue paying these pensions. In any case, the prospect of passing it to the locals is a "non-starter." If switching to the locals is part of the solution, then you let them know up front, not throwing it on them retroactively."
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sells
9:23 am on Sunday, December 9, 2012
how about teachers putting more of their salary into the pension fund?
Marie
8:59 pm on Sunday, December 9, 2012
Agreed. Revamp the school systems. Consolidate, streamline administration, cap salaries, eliminate double dipping immediately.
You want defined benefit, you contribute a lot more. Have optional 401k retirement arrangements. You've already been paid once by taxpayers; why should we have to pay again?
I don't think any legislator is interested in solving the pension problem, including Kosel. This didn't just happen overnight, and she has been there long enough to know what has been happening all along. They will continue to feed snippets of false hope to voters to ensure they win re-election and continue to have union support, that their pensions are safe, their benefits are protected.