>> A PLAN TO
RESCUE PENSION
SYSTEM OF COOK
COUNTY WORKERS ON
THE FAST TRACK IN
PENSION
WEARY
SPRIENGFIELD SO
MUCH SO THAT THE
PRESIDENT TONES IS
PUTTING
REPUTATION ON THE LINE TO
LOBBY
STATE LAW MAKERS TO GET
IT DONE
IN THE WANING DAYS
OF THE SPRING
SESSION.
WILL IT HAPPEN AND
WILL
COUNTY
TAXPAYERS FOOT THE BILL.
PARIS?
>> PHIL.
SHE IS ON HER
WAY TO
SPRINGFIELD
NOT LOBBY
THE
LEGISLATIVE
LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR YOU
MENTIONED PENSION WEARY
SPRINGFIELD LAW
MAKERS
PASSED
STATE PENSION REFORM BOTTLED IN
THE
COURTS.
HALF OF CHICAGO PENSION
REFORM
AWAITS THE
GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE
IS THAT IS
NO
SURE THING.
PRESIDENT SAYS
THERE
SHOULD NOT
BE A PENSION
FATIGUE LAW MAKE
ARES NEED TO PASS COOK
COUNTY
BEFORE THE SESSION
ENDS IN THE
NEXT 10
DAYS.
>> IF WE DON'T DO
THIS WE WILL
SUFFER A DOWNGRADE OF BONDING
AUTHORITIES THE LONGER WE WAIT
THE HARDER IT
IS.
IT
COSTS MORE
MONEY AND MAKE ITS
MORE DIFFICULT TO
GET A
DEAL.
>> PARIS,
REMIND WHAT
THIS
PENSION REFORM
ENTAILS.
RETIREMENTS OF COUNTY
EMPLOYEES.
JAIL
WORKERS, HOSPITAL WORK
ARES
EMPLOYEES THAT CONTRIBUTE
10.5
OF PAYCHECK TO
PENSIONS.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK 5
YEARS
LONGER AND HAVE COST
OF LIVING
RAISES REDUCED NOT AS
MUCH AS
OTHER REFORM
PLANS IF THE
ENTIRE
PENSION SYSTEM IS LESS THAN HALF
FUNDED THE COST
LIVING RAISES
ARE
ELIMINATED.
COME
WESTBOUND A MILLION DOLLARS
PRICE TAG TAXPAYERS
ON THE
HOOK
FOR HIGHER PROPERTY
TAXES
OR
SALE'S TAX.
SHE CAN
49ED OTHER
WAYS TO
MAKE
COSTS.
>> WE HAVE
DHAN WITHOUT RAISING
PROPERTY TAXES AND
-- ROLLING
BACK THE
REMAINING
SALES TAX
INCREASE RETURN TO OUR
TAXPAYERS
1.1 BILLION DOLLARS.
WE FILED A
BILLION DOLLARS IN
--
BUDGET GAPS WITHOUT
RAISING
SALES OR PROPERTY
TAXES AND
SAVED OUR
TAXPAYERS.
>> PROPERTY
TAX OR SALES TAX
HIKE WILL BE
NEED YOU COULD
FIND
OTHER WAYS.
>> WE
WILL LOOK AT
EVERYTHING.
>> EVERYTHING IS
ON THE
TABLE.
WE SHOWED
CREATIVITY IN DEALING
WITH THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES WE
PREVIOUSLY.
>>
THIS WAS AGREED
TO
BY
SEVERAL
UNIONS.
THE UNION
REPORTING NURSES
IS
NOT ON BOARD.
THEY
VOW
TO
VOTE HIM
OUT
OF
OFFICE IF THE PENSION DEAL
IS
THERE.
>> WE
CONTRIBUTED
FAITHFULLY
FOR
20
YEARS WE KEPT
OUR PART
AND BELIEVE COOK
COUNTY SHOULD
KEEP THEIR PART
AND
HONOR THE
CONSTITUTION, OUR PENSION SYSTEM
IS NOT BROKEN.
ONCE WHO ARE BROKEN ARE
THE
POLITICIANS WHO WE ARE PUT
IN
OFFICE.
WHO ARE
SUPPOSED TO
BE
PROTECTING US
AGAINST THIS
TYPE
OF
THEFT!
THAT'S ONLY THING YOU CAN
CALL
IT.
>> NURSES SAY THEY
WOULD RATHER
THE COUNTY
INSTITUTE A TAX
ON
FINANCIAL TRACTIONS WE SPOKE
WITH THE COUNTY
CFO AND SAYS THE
COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE THE
POWER
TO LEVY SUCH A
TAX.
>> LAW MAKE ARES MIGHT
IMPLEMENT THE REFORMS BEFORE
THE
SESSION ENDS?
>> THIS BILL IS
SPONSORED BY
CULLERTON AND SPEAKER
IN THE
HOUSE IT IS IS GOOD
COMPANY
IF
YOU NEED
A
BILL
PASSED.
THE SPEAKERER HAD DIFFERENT
PROBLEMS
REVEALED HE IS 26
DEMOCRATIC VOTES SHORT OF
EXTENDING OR MAKING
PERMANENT
STATE'S INCOME TAX.
CAPITAL IT IS NOT GOING
SO FAR
ON THAT
ISSUE PERHAPS
IT WOULD
TAKE LESS MUSCLE
>> COME UP WHETHER SHE IS
RUNNING FOR MAYOR SHE ASKED
REPEATEDLY ABOUT T. WAS
SHE
ASKED TODAY.
>> SHE WILL
BE ASKED EVERY
TIME
WE SEE
HER.
SHE WAS ASKED LAST WEEK IT WAS
FOUND THAT THE MAYOR
POLITICAL
DIRECTOR
ALLEGEDLY
CONTACTED
NEWSPAPER REPORTERS
URGING THEM
TO REPORT NEGATIVE
STORIES.
HERE IS HER TONGUE AND
CHEEK
RESPONSE TO THAT ISSUE
TODAY.
>> YOU KNOW I
THINK
THAT
IT IS
REMARKABLE SELF DEVELOP.
I CONTINUE
TO EXERCISE
THAT SELF
DISCIPLINE.
SHE
SAYS.
SHE IS
RUNNING
FOR OFFICE SHE
CURRENTLY HOLDS THAT IS NOT
A
DENIAL THAT SHE MAY
NOT
SEEK TO
RUN FOR ANOTHER
OFFICE.
>>
PARIS THE
PROPERTY
TAX
HIKE.
AS YOU THINK THE
MAYOR CALLERED
FOR 250 MILLION
WANTS
250
MILLION IN PROPERTY
TAXES THAT
IS A BILL THE
GOVERNOR
SAYS THAT
HE HAS NOT ASSIGNED
THAT.
IF THAT
WERE TO
HAPPEN.
AND IF THE
COUNTY
IMPOSED A
PROPERTY
TAX
THEY GET IT FROM
BOTH ENDS.
>> WHAT HE IS SAYING
THEY DON'T
HAVE TO WORRY HOW
TO
PAY FOR
THIS FOR YEAR AND A
HALF.
SHE
BUILT
THAT IN THE
BILL.
PUTTING THE
TAX
HIKE IN THE
BILL.
EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS TAKEN OUT
SHE DID NOT PUT THAT
IN THE
BILL
THE GOVERNOR MIGHT HAVE
MORE
INCENTIVE TO SIGN THIS THAN
THE
CHICAGO PENSION REFORM BILL
WHICH COULD MAKE FOR AN
INTERESTING
DYNAMIC.
>> WHEN YOU KEEP IN MIND THE
GOVERNOR AND MAYOR DON'T
GET
ALONG.
HOW DOT GOVERNOR AND TONY
GET
ALONG.
>> SHE SAYS
THEY HAVE BEEN
SPEAKING HE DID NOT SAY WHAT HE
WOULD
DO.
MAYOR AND
GOVERNOR