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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.
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"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] |
