How can we bear more pension costs?

How can we bear more pension costs?

Our state has a serious shortfall in the pension obligations that they committed to in past contract negotiations. So to appease the unions and avoid strikes they pretty much gave away the farm. Now that they are in such bad financial shape, the governor wants to pass the teacher pension obligations back to the school districts.

Where does the governor think that money is going to come from? Our property tax bills.

Almost 60 percent of my tax bill goes to the U46 school district now; how much more does the governor expect us taxpayers to carry? In looking at the tax bill we are already contributing to eight government pension funds: Kane County, Kane Forest Preserve, Elgin Township, Elgin Township Road District, Elgin City, Elgin School District U46, Elgin College 509, and last, but not least, Gail Borden Library.

In the 30 years I worked for my company, nobody paid into my pension fund but the company I worked for. Those government pension contributions amount to $435 on my tax bill, added to the $3,425 going to U46. That’s almost $4,000 of a $6,000 tax bill. And we don’t even get our garbage picked up as part of our city taxes anymore — we get a bill for that now.

I know I didn’t retire with any $75,000 to $100,000 that some of these school officials are getting. Let them contribute more to their own pensions and health care like all the rest of us do in the private sector.

One thing I would like to see is a real grassroots effort to have term limits on all levels of elected offices. Too many of these politicians become so entrenched in their offices that they forget who they are working for.

Donald Berger

Elgin