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A federal solution to Chicago's public pension mess
Chicago Tribune ^ | 07 September 2016 | Ed Bachrach

Posted on 09/12/2016 8:24:19 PM PDT by Lorianne

Edited on 09/13/2016 12:24:41 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]

If you experienced sticker shock with your latest real estate tax bill, or worry about what's around the corner with proposed big increases on your water and sewer bills, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Chicago's pension debts are finally starting to gobble the city. Chicagoans have two options: Swallow hard and take the massive increases as a cost of living in this great city, or fight for a better solution.


(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Government; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 09/12/2016 8:24:19 PM PDT by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne

Beneficiaries are not going to count on their retirement checks.

There’s no money in the till to pay for them.

Chicago is royally screwed.


2 posted on 09/12/2016 8:26:32 PM PDT by goldstategop ((In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever))
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To: Lorianne

that would be the typical solution to all progressive bs... foist it onto the next biggest entity.

the only response should be HELL NO! the rest of the country will NOT pay for the free loaders in chicago


3 posted on 09/12/2016 8:27:14 PM PDT by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: goldstategop

Oh, they will get paid, but it’ll be 25-cents on the dollar type of rate. Maybe if you move out to Iowa and cut your expenses....you can survive off that and social security.


4 posted on 09/12/2016 8:30:53 PM PDT by pepsionice
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To: sten

I think that the Democrat Party ought to set up a Go Fund Me site for all Democratically run cities that cannot pay their pension obligations.

That way, all the Democrat voters in the U.S. can make up the difference.


5 posted on 09/12/2016 8:31:04 PM PDT by Maceman (Screw the Party. Save the Country.)
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To: sten

You didn’t read.

Chicago would be allowed to modify and terminate non-performing pension plans.

That’s the opposite of a bailout. It needs bankruptcy relief and none too soon.


6 posted on 09/12/2016 8:31:14 PM PDT by goldstategop ((In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever))
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To: Lorianne

Local democrat politicians made these deals with public unions to keep and maintain power.

The local citizens keep voting in democrats.

It has nothing to do with the Federal Government.


7 posted on 09/12/2016 8:33:31 PM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: 2banana

It costs politicians nothing to promise pension benefits that aren’t paid for because they won’t be in office when the bills come due.

In the end the taxpayers have to clean up their mess.


8 posted on 09/12/2016 8:36:33 PM PDT by goldstategop ((In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever))
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To: Lorianne

Oh no.


9 posted on 09/12/2016 8:41:48 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Lorianne

This is going on all over.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/dan-walters/article100871752.html

California is in a bad way also.


10 posted on 09/12/2016 8:42:18 PM PDT by Lurkina.n.Learnin (Hillary Clinton AKA The Potemkin Princess of the Potomac)
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To: Lorianne

Third way:
Move........


11 posted on 09/12/2016 8:48:37 PM PDT by Red Badger (Make America AMERICA again!.........................)
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To: Lorianne

Not just no. Hell no.

L


12 posted on 09/12/2016 8:53:44 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: sten

Testing the waters - for every democrat town,city,county and state to foist their pension issues on rest of americans


13 posted on 09/12/2016 9:00:41 PM PDT by Nailbiter
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To: Lorianne
Once the Federal government is involved they're gradually weep and wring their hands until taxpayers nation wide are making sure the Chicago government employees can retire with nearly all if not all of what that 68 billion would make up.
14 posted on 09/12/2016 9:29:31 PM PDT by Rashputin (Jesus Christ doesn't evacuate His troops, He leads them to victory !!)
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To: goldstategop

Economics: You want other people to give you their money, but you do not want to give your money to other people.

When did Govt believe other people should support their laziness?? No Govt job should get any pension.


15 posted on 09/12/2016 9:38:03 PM PDT by TheNext (Hillary Hurts Children & Women)
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To: Lorianne; All

The article is confusing on the matter of a Federal intervention (non-bailout)...is there something in the Illinois constitution that prevents municipalities or the state from cutting pensions if there is no money? What am I missing?


16 posted on 09/12/2016 9:45:40 PM PDT by Drago
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To: Drago

The Illinois Constitution specifically protects public pensions.

Long story. Some other day.

Illinois is stuck. And the federal solution suggested here would violate the federal Contracts Clause.

Don’t elect Democrats.


17 posted on 09/12/2016 9:51:57 PM PDT by plymaniac
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To: plymaniac
The Illinois Constitution specifically protects public pensions.

Yes, but it does not have any provision for them printing money to pay the pensions.

Illinois is stuck. And the federal solution suggested here would violate the federal Contracts Clause.

I predict bankruptcy.

Although there is a second possibility--White flight. As tax rates rise anyone who can move out will, leaving behind something like Detroit. When we get to the point that they can legitimately complain that downtrodden Blacks are being overtaxed to pay the pensions of old White men, a loophole in the Illinois constitution will be found.

18 posted on 09/12/2016 10:06:34 PM PDT by CurlyDave
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To: Drago

I don’t get it either. Why would they have to ask the Fed’s permission to change their own pension rules? If they are bankrupt they cannot pay.


19 posted on 09/12/2016 10:12:43 PM PDT by Lorianne
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To: plymaniac
The Illinois Constitution specifically protects public pensions.

Right. Even the plan that (former lib / dem Gov.) Quinn got pushed through to try to get partial control of State pensions got shot down in court. "Unconstitutional".

Illinois is screwed beyond belief.

20 posted on 09/12/2016 10:41:38 PM PDT by Paul R.
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