Saturday, March 22

Lawmakers need more details before Senate vote on pension plan

Teachers' retirement and shortage

License plates to benefit cancer patients

[MARCH 22, 2003]  SPRINGFIELD -- The House voted on a bill March 20 with few details about how the governor will spend the money, how the bonds will be financed or what the exact risks will be. Local Reps. Raymond Poe, R-Williamsville, and Rich Brauer, R-Petersburg, voted present on House Bill 2660.

"We cannot make a decision one way or another on the validity of this plan until we have sufficient information," said Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield. "I am keeping an open mind. This may be the best option, but I need more information to decide."

Bomke indicated many lawmakers are open to the idea but will not offer blind support. Details about the pension scheme, the governor’s financial plan and the risks involved should be outlined fully before the Senate votes on the issue.

While the pension plan may be a feasible option to address the state’s budget deficit, lawmakers have a responsibility to review these details and the risks before casting a vote on the issue.

In light of the more than $88 million in new spending programs the governor outlined last week, lawmakers are also concerned that the plan may be coupled with new spending.

 

The only budget insight the governor has offered thus far is his pensions scheme, which involves selling $10 billion in bonds, but without details available on spending the money or the financing involved. The governor has asked for and needs Republican votes on the measure, but he has not provided the details needed to reassure lawmakers his scheme will not put the state’s finances in further jeopardy.

Early retirement option for teachers; teacher shortage

The Illinois Senate passed two laws this week that address teacher shortage issues and allow teachers to retire earlier. Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, was a sponsor of the proposed laws.

"Everything we can do to attract new teachers to the profession and to keep qualified teachers in the classroom helps improve the quality of education in our public schools," he said.

Senate Bill 193 would extend an early retirement option deadline for teachers to June 30, 2010. Under current law teachers may retire before age 60 if they pay a one-time contribution before their actual retirement date or if they have 34 years of service.

 

 

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Without Senate Bill 193, the one-time contribution option would end June 30, 2005, forcing the teachers to teach until they reach age 60 or have 34 years of service or take a severe reduction in retirement benefits if they retire early.

Senate Bill 195 helps areas of the state that have trouble attracting teachers. The measure would allow retired teachers to work up to 120 days each school year without impacting their retirement benefits. This five-year pilot program (2003-2008) would allow schools to use retired teachers if the district is facing a teacher shortage.

Both bills gained unanimous approval in the Senate March 19 and now await consideration by the House of Representatives.

American Cancer Society license plates

Cancer patients may benefit from the latest Illinois license plate, under legislation approved March 19 by the Illinois Senate and sponsored by Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.

"The American Cancer Society estimates 59,900 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Illinois this year and 25,000 will die from cancer," said Bomke. "The sale of these license plates will directly benefit these patients through patient service programs sponsored by the American Cancer Society."

 

Senate Bill 292 authorizes American Cancer Society license plates to benefit cancer patient services. The license plates could be purchased for $40 on top of the regular license plate fees and renewed for $27 on top of the usual plate renewal fees.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

Approved in the Senate by a vote of 52-2, Senate Bill 292 now advances to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

[News release]

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