Share the sacrifice, elected officials

It is time to stop focusing on the unpaid debt the politicians created and begin to look forward. Most current teachers are willing to increase their contribution. All (not just teachers) retired folks in Illinois should pay state income tax on earnings over $70,000. Slots at the track would be a new revenue stream. The money from the slots should all go to the pension fund. Progress!

Not the entire solution. The elected officials should re-evaluate their “actual” value to the citizens of Illinois. Shared sacrifice by all. 1. Term limits

2. Reduced salary by half. The legislature is not a full-time job.

3. Medical coverage should be from the full-time job, not the part-time elected position.

4. No pension. Public servants work full time for 34-40 years, at noncompetitive wages with the private sector. Now those pensions are threatened. Elected officials’ compensation is much higher than a teacher’s, and their pensions are granted at a faster and higher rate; for a part-time position.

5. Legislator evaluation leading to remediation. A promise is a promise. Everything the taxpayers are promised in a campaign should be true. The budget includes the pension payments and the payments are not made; the money is unilaterally removed from the beneficiaries.

All campaign promises should be subjected to annual review. If the promises are not on the timetable given by the elected, remediation should be invoked. If the promises are not met in six months, the elected should be removed and replaced. If no one wants the job it goes unfilled until the next election.

Not the end, but a good beginning.

Alan P. Murdoch

Arlington Heights