Pension money must come from someone

I continue to find it amazing that so many people feel that I, as a legal Illinois resident and taxpayer, should continue to finance the lifestyles of others. I refer to the rally in Springfield by educators and other public workers to raise the income tax to secure their salaries, overgenerous pensions and other benefits. I realize that most of the outsized pensions are going to school administrators, but there are teachers in the mix as well making far more in retirement than I will ever see in my lifetime and able to collect for a far greater number of years than I will likely be able to do. Shirley Forpe, a retired teacher from Palatine, collects a guaranteed $81,600 a year and says she doesn't think she is suffering, but thinks she earned it. Not only would I not be suffering to be getting $81,600 plus 3% increases yearly, I would be over the moon with joy to be able to count on that kind of retirement pension.

Additionally, Linda Dickey writes that it is time to raise the income tax as she thinks the income tax would be paid by those who can better afford it. What makes her think those of us still lucky enough to have jobs are better able to afford a tax increase? In fact, more and more of us in the private sector have seen their real incomes decline over the past several years as salary increases became nonexistent and were in many cases reduced, and employer contributions to our 401Ks were halted. These are actions that fiscally prudent companies take to manage their businesses and keep their employees on the job. While much is made of the fact that teachers put 9.4 percent of their salaries into their retirement plans, I am required to have 6.2 percent withheld from my salary and my employer is required to do the same, and they also factor that 6.2 percent as part of my overall compensation. Additionally, because of the sorry mess that Social Security is in, many of us funnel money into 401(k) in the hopes the two combined will provide us with enough to live on in retirement, and we have to wait til we are 67 to get the full payout. Public sector workers get a guaranteed 3 percent adjustment every year and are eligible to retire at age 55 and collect at least a good portion of their pensions. Additionally their pensions are guaranteed, there is no guarantee that I will collect what is owed to me from Social Security or that my 401(k) will provide enough to sustain me in retirement.

When do people take responsibility for their own lives and well-being and take care of their needs and those of their families instead of demanding the government do it? I remind all of you that the government does not give to you that which they do not take from someone else. In this case it is the overburdened taxpayer who has run out of cash. And we are tired of doing without while so many of you continue on your way, collecting your overly-generous benefits, with no thought to those who must provide for you.

Cindy Bandur

Island Lake