Retired Illinois Judges Raking in Gluttonous Pensions

By on May 29, 2012   /   Commentary, Latest  

View release as a PDF
CHICAGO–Retired state and county Illinois judges are enjoying some of the most lavish, gold-plated pensions of all Illinois government-pensioners, according to Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA). “Even while Springfield political leaders finally are discussing pension reform, judges’ million-dollar pensions are draining their state government-employee pension fund,” said Tobin.
Click here to view the top 100 pensions in the Judges Retirement System (JRS).
Tobias Barry, a retired Appellate Court Judge, tops TUA’s “Top 100” list of judges’ pensions with an annual pension of $186,764, which he supplements with another pension for his days in the Illinois General Assembly. Barry’s total-to-date pension payout is a hefty $1,749,400.
“Even the bottom pension of our Top 100 list is huge,” said Tobin. “Number 100 on the list, Michael Stuttley, receives an annual pension of $156,570.”
Number 2 on the Top 100 list is retired Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Moses Harrison II, who pulls in an annual pension of $182,009. So far, Harrison’s total-to-date pension payout is $1,507,589.
“Many of the retired judges literally are pension-millionaires,” said Tobin. “William Lewis has collected a staggering total-to-date pension payout of $2,014,760. Thomas Obrien has collected a huge total-to-date pension payout of $2,021,134.”
“These former ‘public servants’ make far more than most workers in the private sector and get million-dollar pensions as well.”
“Ending pensions for all new government hires will eventually eliminate unfunded government pensions,” said Tobin. “New government hires should plan for their own retirements by being placed in Social Security and 401(k) plans.”
“Furthermore, if each government employee were required to contribute an additional 10% toward his or her pension, taxpayers would save $150 billion over the next 35 years.”
This release is the fifth in a series. To see the previous four, see below:

Back to Top

NATO Meeting Costly Ego-Trip For Chicago Pols

By on May 23, 2012   /   Commentary, Latest  

View release as a PDF
CHICAGO—Chicago’s hosting of the May NATO meetings was an expensive ego-trip for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his fellow politicians, charged Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Emanuel and his press flacks claimed that holding the NATO meetings put Chicago in a favorable light in the eyes of the world, and that as a result, Chicago’s reputation as a world-class city will move up a few notches in the list of great world cities,” said Tobin. “He’s got to be kidding. Does he honestly think the world views Chicago as being in the same league as New York, London or Paris?”
“As far as the world is concerned, Chicago is the capitol of flyover country.”
“On Friday and Monday, downtown businesses were ghost towns — the last thing they needed in this recession. LaSalle Street was empty according to reports, major employers asked their employees to stay home, and receipts in shops and restaurants were down sharply.”
“One reason for holding the meetings purportedly was to emerge from under the shadow of the 1968 riots during the Democratic Convention. Businesses paid a high price to cleanse the reputations of Democrat politicians.”
“Emanuel would have done a lot better cutting rather than increasing expenses, and passing the savings on to the overtaxed residents of Chicago.”

Back to Top

Springfield Pols to Vote on Cigarette Tax Hike Impacting Poor As They Look Forward to Lavish, Gold-Plated Pensions

By on May 22, 2012   /   Illinois, Latest, Pension Reform  

View release as a PDF
SPRINGFIELD–A report released today by Taxpayers United of America (TUA) shows that former members of the Illinois General Assembly are now enjoying lavish, gold-plated, million-dollar pensions that they authorized, and that some retired legislators already have collected over a million dollars in pension payments.
Click here to view the top 100 pensions in the General Assembly Retirement System (GARS).
“Our list of the ‘Top 100’ pensions of the General Assembly Retirement System (GARS) is topped by Arthur Berman, author of the infamous ‘Berman Tax Increase Amendment’ to the Illinois Constitution,” said Jim Tobin, TUA President. “Berman receives (as of 4/1/12) an annual pension of $209,531. That’s $17,461 a month. So far, Berman’s total pension paid to date is $1,837,857.”
“Number two on the list is Edward Petka, who receives an annual pension of $166,119, and whose total pension paid to date is $359,844.”
“Two king-size tax-raisers are on the list, one a former governor and the other a former legislator and governor. Former governor James R. ‘Big Jim’ Thompson receives an pension of $10,919 a month, and his total pension paid to date is a mind-boggling $2.1 million.”
“Former governor and legislator, Jim Edgar, receives an annual pension of $138,898, and his total pension paid to date is a sumptuous $1,287,026. He also gets $176,000 from the University of Illinois as a ‘distinguished scholar.’ I wonder how many hours a week he works for his 176 grand.”
“It’s no wonder that Illinois’ government pensions funds are finding themselves under water, and that all of the recent temporary 67% increase in the state personal income tax is being funneled into the state government pension funds.”
“It’s ironic that while members of the state legislature are looking forward to a cushy retirement, House members are considering raising the state’s regressive cigarette tax by a huge $1.00 a pack. This proposed tax hike is a job-killer. It will drive many small shops out of business and will impact the poor most of all. The black market for cigarettes will keep growing. And small shops near the state border that are dependent on cigarette sales might as well just close their doors as smokers drive out of state to purchase cigarettes.”
This release is the fourth in a series. To see the first, click here: Pension Millionaires Draining Lifeblood from TRS Pension Fund. For the second, click here: State Troopers & Corrections Officers Quick to Capture Lavish Pensions. And for the third, click here: For REALLY Big Bucks, Try the State University System.

Back to Top