Occupying Teacher Pensions!

“The top union bosses in the country and Illinois are…
Occupying our teachers’ retirement system.” 
source: openthebooks.com

Unions are not government.  The “boss” work is not in the classroom or on behalf of taxpayers.

The top union bosses and most powerful Illinois Democratic Party officials at the National Education Association (NEA), Illinois AFL-CIO, Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and Illinois Education Association (IEA) are occupying and draining millions from rank-and-file teacher pensions. They literally muscled their way in.

SB2499 would end the pension abuse loopholes.

One of these bosses is Ed Geppert.  Who is he?  Ex-President of Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and still leads the organization on the IFT Board. At life expectancy, Geppert will drain $4 million from TRS.  As a teacher, Geppert earned $84,000 total.  He left the classroom and spent 24 years at the union with final salary of $260,000.  Annual teachers pension…$185,000!

Another boss is Ann Davis. As a teacher, Davis’ pension would have been about $48,000/ year. After six years as President of IFT, her annual pension spiked to nearly $150,000. At life expectancy, she’ll drain an extra $2 million from regular teachers.

The retirements of some union bosses are already exceeding their final salaries.
 
In 2007, Margaret Blackshere rose to become President of the Illinois AFL-CIO and one of the most powerful labor activists and Democratic Party leaders. Annual teacher pension: $108,000. Highest working salary: $110,600.

And it goes all the way to Washington, DC.  Reg Weaver was head of the national teachers union (NEA) in Washington, DC.  In 2008, he retired on an Illinois state teacher pension of $20,200/month!

Since September 6th, we’ve been writing about special, sweetheart union and other private organizations with insider access into our state level pension systems.  Thirty-four union bosses are draining $4 million annually from our state teacher retirement system.

Who are they?  Visit www.openthebooks.com or click here to see the screen shots.

Listen to my debate with an Illinois State University professor on SB2499 and pension corruption.

Sincerely,
Adam Andrzejewski
Founder | CEO 
For the Good of Illinois

PS.  Come to our Liberty Lunch at Hyatt Lodge- McDonalds in Oak Brook on Veteran’s Day.  Lunch features National Policy Director of AFP, and author of Democracy Denied, Phil Kerpen.  On Oct. 13th, Kerpen appeared on the Sean Hannity Show.  Click here to reserve your lunch ticket.  All in attendance will received a complementary signed book.