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Mari Harrer May 29, 2013 at 01:35 am
Mari: No need for 401 plans, just look to the Ill. Municipal Retirement Fund, an employees plan. It…Read More is not run by the state government and it is solvent.
D.DouglasThomas June 2, 2013 at 08:55 am
Let's send the naper patch comments to Darlene Senger..think she might take a minute to "read…Read More them" and do something instead of doing nuthing!
Grumpy Old Man June 4, 2013 at 06:55 am
I agree with Butch on control of pensions. I do not agree however that any state employee, other…Read More than first responders, should be receiving a public pension, or in the case of Boss Daley and others of his ilk, multiple public pensions. The vast majority of Americans enjoy Social Security as their primary pension and if they are smart, IRA or 401(K) plans. I could support a public employee 401(k) plan so long as it was primarily paid by the employee contributions with fixed government contributions with no COLA increases out of the public treasury, but privately invested. Obviously the current problem involves current obligations which can't be eliminated but there is no good reason to maintain this public pension system for future specially privileged employees, most of whom have jobs which are protected from at will termination (unlike the vast majority of American workers who have no such protection). If the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund is a satisfactory alternative great. The granting of pensions to public officials, appointed or elected is a travesty and must be ended. And, although I've always in the past opposed it, I think that it is time for term limits. Especially for the Mayor of Chicago.
Dan May 25, 2013 at 02:11 pm
Shared sacrifice should included those blessed with substantial pension income to pay state taxes…Read More like the rest of us do. Why should the 10,000 individuals that earn over $100,000 in pension income from a former government job receive this income tax free? We need a progressive pension tax to correct this tax loophole.
Johnson H. May 28, 2013 at 10:56 am
Your shared sacrifice should not include the public employee who has faithfully paid into the…Read More pension system that the politicians set up. The politicians now want to force the public employee to pay more, and the taxpayer to pay more for the states mistakes. Shared sacrifice my A$$... The only sacrifice that should be happening is the politicians give up their pay for the next 10 years to pay for the mess they created by not paying/delaying payments into a system that would have been in good shape if they had payed in to begin with. The politicians made this mess, by skipping payments, setting re-payment schedule @ 50 years with balloon payments and now they want to cry broke and walk away from their obligations. That is horrible. Take a look at what Mayor Rahm is doing in Chicago. Closing schools because he is crying broke, now he is proposing a new $50Million stadium to be built for DePaul. As I have said before "The rich get richer and the poor get screwed" Go into politics and you can become part of the elite in this country and screw everyone else. !
Grumpy Old Man June 4, 2013 at 06:24 am
Dan, right on and the first overly paid pensioner is Boss Daley who I understand collects more than…Read More one. I have yet to understand how there are more than one pension plans. I don't believe in any public employee pensions save for first responders and I definitely do not believe that the public office holders, e.g., Mayors, aldermen, state senators and representatives, Governors, Lt. Governors, Comptrollers, State Treasurers or elected officials at the county and local level should receive one penny in public pensions. Until some common sense takes over Illinois all of these separate governmental pensions should be rolled into one and no one entitled to more than one pension check. If that requires amending the state constitution and getting rid of home rule so be it.
Grumpy Old Man June 4, 2013 at 07:25 am
This bill will not save the life of a single person. Oh, I know, someone will trot out some…Read More "statistic" to prove it will. Just like the Chicago Gun Ban saved 1000 lives over a period of 10 - 15 years. Right. More statistical nonsense. The majority of deaths in America is from gang bangers in the inner cities using handguns and who fire a few rounds, not from nutjobs like Lanza with their imitation assault rifles (which are not since they can't fire on fully automatic). Sorry, that's just a fact. I know gun grabbers don't want to be confused with the facts. The story on Lanza having to reload his 30 round magazine assumes that if he had a ten round limit he wouldn't have been able to kill more. Really? The limit would work, I suppose, if he was confronted by someone with a weapon, but with time on his hands he could reload at will. I really can't understand how we won WWII using the M1, a semi automatic rifle clip fed with an 8 round capacity. Oh, I know that the artillery won the war, but the M1 was the principal weapon issued to American troops. Oh well, the gun grabbers (and let's be frank, these gun controllers are really nothing but gun grabbers in sheep's clothing) can stand on their graves and rant and rant. By the way, I have no problem with background checks and severe penalties for straw purchasers. Registration is the usual resort by the gun grabbers so that they can come and get em when the time is right. Yeah, I'm "paranoid"! I have nothing but sympathy for the families of the children who were murdered by Lanza. However, their loss does not make them experts on urban violence. And there is no such thing as gun violence, the left's term to de-sensitize us from individual responsibility and blame the "gun." There are individuals who use guns to commit crimes, including murder. I have no problems with laws which regulate conduct of individuals which are strictly (but impartially and fairly) enforced. But silly laws that avoid the problem and criminalize law abiding citizens are not worthy of this society.
Frank Palmer June 18, 2013 at 02:05 pm
Canada, with more gun controls, somehow has fewer shootings per capita. We see a lot of people…Read More assuring us that there is no connection between the two.
James Hammans May 17, 2013 at 04:33 pm
Law enforcement opposes medical cannabis because they feel like it undermines the years of effort…Read More they put into prohibition. This is a step towards ending prohibition, which means they'd no longer receive huge federal grants for their narcotics divisions, or be able to steal and auction off people's property through civil asset forfeiture.
The opinion of law enforcement on medical cannabis should mean very little as they are not medical professionals. Also, I find it a bit hypocritical that law enforcement always tries to wash their hands when making a bust, saying they don't write the laws they only enforce them, but then they always come out against efforts to reform drug policy. They even came out against Industrial Hemp, which isn't even a drug.
They aren't worried about our communities, which aren't protected by prohibition, they just want to protect their pride, and their funding.
Harry Gio May 31, 2013 at 08:57 am
Soon to be legal on ALL levels and sold in our liquor stores... Yep!!!
Crazy Rock May 21, 2013 at 04:11 pm
MM, in a world of stupidity, that is one of the most ignorant and stupid comments I've read. Just…Read More because you've played Russian Roulette and pulled the trigger five times and are still alive, doesn't mean it's a safe game to play. Science does not lie, smoking has long been proven to cause all sorts of health ailments up to and including DEATH. What a shame if you have children and teach them it's okay to carry on this habit. Maybe you'll be lucky and live to be 80, and watch your own 54 year old son or daughter die of lung cancer.
David Greenberg May 22, 2013 at 07:56 am
mm, maybe it's your genetics, maybe not. Regardless, most people don't share your claimed…Read More experience, and that's why there's lots of anti-tobacco campaigns. I know people who smoke and are addicted - their health has suffered, and they still smoke. I knew a 2-pack a day smoker who had a heart attack from it and still said he'd rather
move the building brick by brick rather than stop...
Do I really care what someone over 21 does with their body? nope, so long as it's not
near me, not around me, and I don't have to breathe it Icould care less. But kids ought
not to be using tobacco because of the proven dangers, and because they're not old enough to make that life-or-death decision for themselves... it's up to their Parents to give them the straight facts on the dangers and to do what they can to keep them safe. The dangers are well-documented, and with few exceptins (such as yourself), it's addictive, costly, filthy, and deadly.
Personally, if I'm going to be addicted to something - I prefer chocolate...
Joel June 17, 2013 at 10:25 pm
I'd rather have my kid smoke a occasional joint, then get hooked to smoking.
John Wayne May 20, 2013 at 03:24 pm
The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability is nothing more than a left wing fascist organization.…Read More
Those who support progressive taxation pretend to be on the moral high ground but, in fact, they have no ground to stand on. Envy, not justice, is at the root of the argument for discriminatory taxation. That is why those who most strongly advocate progressive taxation are in favor of the welfare state. If we are to restore civil society and move from tax socialism to tax justice, we need to abolish progressive taxation, institute a fair flat tax and limit the size of government. Otherwise, class warfare and welfare will prevail.
PaulRevere May 20, 2013 at 06:05 pm
"tax expenditures" needs clarification.
States are "non profit ventures".…Read More Therefore , states cannot have any expense called "tax expenditures". People and For profit businesses have "tax expenditures". Those are "tax revenues" to the states.
States have "REVENUES" and "SERVICES SPENDINGS".
A potential Tax revenue cannot be "spent". To label any less tax revenue as an expense is absurd. Why? Because that would suggest a 6% corporation state Tax rate really means 94% more Taxes could have been collected. Is that a Tax expenditure?
Only liberals would label 100% of anyone's income as "tax revenue" to be called "tax expenditure" for any % not taxed. "STATE TAX REVENUE". Whatever is left for the taxpayer to keep is therefore a "tax expenditure" to the State. LOL! You guys running our Govt have warped minds.
Just try to get those "tax expenditures" as revenue and watch the businesses close shop. When will you admit the real problems of "Highly overpaid Govt Public employees". They are the ones creating an undue "TAX EXPENDITURE" on every living Person.
Glenn Brooks May 22, 2013 at 03:28 am
We can't Reboot because the system file is corrupted. I/O error.
Grumpy Old Man May 20, 2013 at 05:37 pm
Unfortunately some of the inspiration were some of the most divisive comments I've seen on Patch…Read More outside of and including the Sunday cartoon. Just look at the one on Long Journey to change minds and the article about the pit bull rescuer. I'm not sure that this was the type of inpiration that Grape Nuts intended.
Jason Akai May 21, 2013 at 10:58 am
GOM - you're right. The worst part of the Patch is comments. You find me a feel good patch…Read More article, and I will show you a list of people who are angry about it. People just like to vent, I suppose. Its easier to do behind an anon name.
Frances Murray May 16, 2013 at 01:12 pm
Stupid proposal. Metra should get their priorities straight. Get the basic service and equipment in…Read More order and lower the fares (ha!) before thinking about the frills.
Maori Tuakana May 19, 2013 at 09:50 pm
That totally IS a burger, & it sounds awesome! I keep mine simple. I use more of an 85% ratio,…Read More on a half pound patty. Once finished, the stacking is simple. Two slices of American Cheese, Habanero Pepper Sauce (Marie Sharps or Melinda's), Grilled White Onion Slice (about 1/2 inch & whole slice intact), Mustard, Mayo (not Salad Dressing), & that's all. Of course the type of bun is up to you. I use a Gonnella Gourmet Bun.
Maori Tuakana May 19, 2013 at 09:51 pm
Now that's a great idea! I was told to use Italian Sausage, but this sounds like a winner.
Kibitzer May 16, 2013 at 01:48 am
Of course things are going to get worse. I tell people that all the time. They listen politely and…Read More then go their way. No one believes we are in a economic sink hole. I look for the Rapture of Christ's people and once that happens, all hell will break loose. Don't know what the "Rapture" is about? Check out "Rapture Alert.com". It totally breaks my heart for those in denial. About the economy, and the Lord Jesus.
Wheaton Watcher May 17, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Yep. I guess that explains the economic growth and the jobs the economy has been adding the last 4…Read More years.
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