Here Come the Lawsuits
- Chicago’s 30,000 retired city employees are trying to stop Mayor Rahm Emanuel from saving $108.7 million — by phasing out the city’s 55 percent subsidy for retiree health care and foisting Obamacare on them.
One week after an unprecedented, triple-drop in Chicago’s bond rating, retirees have filed a class-action lawsuit against the city and its four employee pension funds that threatens to make the financial crisis even worse.
The suit argues that the Illinois Constitution guarantees that municipal pension membership benefits are an “enforcible contractual relationship which may not be diminished or impaired.”
And it would be difficult to pick a better plaintiff than this:
- The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is Mike Underwood, a retired Chicago Police officer with Parkinson’s disease, whose service on the streets of Austin left him with a laundry list of injuries.
“I wasn’t hiding behind a desk somewhere. I earned these benefits. I paid for them with my blood. I was shot in the head and stabbed. I broke my hand, my leg, my ankle twice and fractured a vertebrae, a cheekbone and I can’t tell you how many ribs,” Underwood said Thursday.
“When I was hired in 1972, one of the benefits I was guaranteed was health care for life. Now that I’m old and sick, they want to take it away from me and put me on Obamacare. I’m not interested. Nobody knows what that cost will be or what it will cover. He’s throwing us into the unknown.”
If you aren't paying attention, start. Now.
Labels: pension
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
57 Comments:
Any one wonder how Moody's knocked Chicago's bond rating down three notches all at once? My guess is the Evil Raccoon Eyes got his pals on Wall Street to downgrade the city so he can use it as a sledge hammer to force the unions to do his will. This little conniving rat has no soul. He could care less about Mike or anyone else. And of course our mayor doesn't want to talk about how our pension funds got so low. Hey Richie....
Illinois Unions Call for Investigation
Posted on July 25, 2013 by Ted Maguire
Unions are calling for an investigation into whether business leaders tried to persuade credit agencies to lower Illinois’ bond rating.
Ty Fahner, president of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, gave a speech in March in which he said members of the group spoke with bond rating agencies about lowering state’s ratings.
“The Civic Committee, not me, but me and some of the people that make up the Civic Committee did meet with and call – in one case in person – and a couple of calls to Moody’s and Fitch and Standard & Poor, and say ‘How in the hell can you guys do this?’” said Fahner, referring to agencies not lowering the state’s credit rating. “You are an enabler to let the state continue.”
Anders Lindall of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees believes those business leaders were attempting to force Illinois into making steeper cuts on state workers’ pensions.
“These powerful CEOs and lobbyists are going behind closed doors to try and drive down the state’s credit rating,” said Lindall, “and drive up the state’s borrowing costs.”
Lindall says an investigation is warranted in case any members of the committee stood to profit from higher interest yields that would result from a lowered bond rating for the state.
“They may very well themselves own Illinois bonds,” Lindall said. “If that’s the case, then by pushing to drive down the state’s credit rating and drive up costs to taxpayers, they’re funneling more money into their own pockets.”
- See more at: http://wtax.com/local/illinois-unions-call-for-investigation/#sthash.bQIPu7xl.dpuf
Nadifan's cronies got theirs:
$110,000 man: Madigan crony was collecting city pension when he sought Metra raise
Chicago Sun-Times - 3 hours ago
Nearly $110,000 a year wasn't enough for Patrick Ward — the Mike Madigan campaign worker at the center of Metra's patronage scandal.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/21526344-418/110000-man-madigan-crony-was-collecting-city-pension-when-he-sought-metra-raise.html
As the Gov stops paychecks demanding the state legislature get in there and take ...i mean reform...those pensions RIGHT NOW!!
Nice lil show for all of Illinois eh?
This is going to be a futile exercise. Obamacare is here to stay and nothing will stop it. Remember that this is a Federal Government program and like everything else they handle, it is bound to FAIL. Elections have consequences, now we have to live with them.
Hey RE: I got a great fucking idea. How about cnxing Maggie Daley's Park already? WTF. You truly are a scum bag. Cancel health care but build a fucking park. You truly are an asshole.
The "Most Interesting Man In The World" is a distant second to Mike Underwood.
A man whose reputation precedes him, I had the honor of meeting and getting to know Mike over the last several years. It wasn't until stories over beers with some of the elders that the name and face were confirmed and officially assigned to the legend I'd heard so much about in my formative years on the job.
On top of dutifully serving the people of Chicago in his years with CPD, it should be noted that Mike also served his country in Vietnam. That alone should secure carte blanche medical treatment for life for Underwood as well as every other U.S. veteran.
"If you aren't paying attention, start. Now."
Ditto what SCC says. They're slowly trying to take away everything that was promised and everything the last generations of CPD have fought for and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't be so naive to think that things won in past contract negotiations can't be diminished or eliminated altogether.
They're fucking with our retirees' health care. If they're successful, active members are sure to follow. They've made their intentions known that they're coming after our pensions. They want to raise the mandatory minimum retirement age. Whether you've got 2 or 25 years to go until retirement, look past today and realize that all these changed will impact every last one of us.
Best wishes to Mike and every other plaintiff trying to stop that rotten cocksucker Emanuel. If your reputation is any indicator, we're in excellent hands.
Glen Popiela #14124 - 011th District, 3/W
The battle has now begun.
Hmmm...
The frantic scurry of shoes is visible under the stage curtain...
The name of this bad production is "Let's Use A Crisis Of Our Making To Fuck People Who Played By The Rules.
Hmmmm... Interesting...
Ty Fahner, president of the Commercial Club of Chicago allegedly admitted that he and others put pressure on S & P and the other bond rating houses to intentionally crash Illinois' rating on the rocks to kick the drive to destroy public service pensions into higher gear.
"A triple dip drop of a state's bond rating has NEVER happened before!"
>Laughing up their sleeves... "Suckers!"<
We note that the North Shore Shit-Ass was johnny-on-the-spot shortly after with his Freudian slip of "Pensions are a threat..."
Tell us how you REALLY feel, Rahm...
So good of you to weigh in after backing into your ill gotten gain of $18 Million while presiding over a manufactured crisis that essentially destroyed the income and purchasing power of the middle class.
Hush money... Just like at Metra... Right?
Again... The whole of Illinois north of I-70 would be rendered desert to harvest enough trees to build a scaffold large enough for the rightfully outraged tax payers to give these accountability dodging, collusive, decaying alive, hateful, venal, motherless fucks the air-dance they so richly deserve.
Meanwhile... The 4th and 5th generation urban mutts, a lot of whom net more in "we need you to breed prolifically and keep voting democratic as a buffer against the tax paying sucker" money than most Policemen clear after taxes!
Eat. Sleep. Shit. Fuck. Fight. Steal. Love and worship death and destruction. Embrace willful ignorance.
Well... These worthless mongrels and the "smart" motherfucks at Rahm & Co. have this in common.
They're free, easy and don't have the cares and concerns of people who pay the freight to make this shit-show go.
Yet you have shit-asses like Fahner, Rauner, Msall, those who run in their circles and a nasty, hateful and disturbed little manling, who are free and easy with telling people who played by the rules that they're going to get fucked because the shit-asses would rather make war on people with a vested interest in playing by the rules.
Rather this than taking on a lawless constituency that would chase the members of Rahm & Co. to the very door-steps of their private Edens then bugger and cannibalize them because they fucked with the altogether wrong lives and finances.
The local and national chapters of the Dude Inc. Collective would be ALL UP in Fahner's, Rauner's, Msall's and the rest of Rahm & Company's asses like cheap toilet paper.
"Y'all wanna get fucked up? Don't fuck with OUR shit... Go fuck up the po-po's money or the teachers..."
These "smart" self-made, captains of fucked-up industry and doers of fuckery at Rahm & Co. are telling everybody who has dragged a many times tired, sick, sore and way underpaid for the grief & aggravation ass out of bed for 20 to 40+ years, that decency, integrity and playing by the rules means dick-all to them.
And by God they're doing everything they can to prove it!
Vile bastards are as upright as a dead whore rotting upside-down in a catch basin...
WHAT IS THEIR FUCKING END-GAME?
Why are these wealthy men so fixated on busting a segment of the middle class down to peonage to "fix" a problem not of their making?
Is this a final push to destroy the evidence of quite possibly the largest and longest running series of financial crimes in the history of state and municipal governance?
The REAL reason heaven, earth and a few precincts of Hell were moved to install a hollow, callow and craven shape-shifting being from Chicago into the seat of national power?
Feds?
Corrupted and totally co-opted.
State?
Corrupted. Incompetent and self blinded in one eye because of collusion.
Local?
Are you kidding?
WHAT is the end game?
Its a good thing they started now. In Detroit a federal bankruptcy judge took charge of the pension fund issue and stopped all lawsuits until the federal bankruptcy case is over. I realize that Chicago hasn't filed for bankruptcy, but its best to get this case heard now
So much for the caring, and compassionate left.......
What it actually says is this:
SECTION 5. PENSION AND RETIREMENT RIGHTS
Membership in any pension or retirement system of the
State, any unit of local government or school district, or
any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an
enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which
shall not be diminished or impaired.
They are going to have to make the very difficult argument that the supposed guarantee of lifetime benefits was actually made, and that it was also part of the pension plan.
It should be interesting to see this play out.
I am not convinced this guy is making the best argument for his own situation. He may well get some sympathetic attention due to his medical conditions, and his claim that they are somehow related to his previous employment, and one would think his lawyers would have advised him to use that to his best advantage rather than stepping into a minefield that might not serve his own best interests.
Wake up people pensions are next!
We all took this job with the promise of our pension & health care when we retired ~ we worked the holidays, undesirable shifts, missed family events, etc and sacrificed a lot only to have these shitty politicians/mayor step all over us and try to take away what we rightfully earned with our blood, sweat & tears.
For you C.P.D. & C.F.D members who came on in the late 80`s earlily 90`s And didn't join C A R E P A c well this what happens Those old Fuckks? saw this coming! and you didn't support them. so now its happening so dont bitch you let it happen.
Hey Glen nice to see your going to try another run for the FOP. Now go back to 011 and tell everybody how great Mikey is.
The Supt gets FREE health care for life from NYPD.
If its good enough for NYPD then why wouldnt a modest subsidy (it is not free health care like NYPD) be offered for the men and women serving in CPD?
Tiny Dancer will take away as many of our benefits as he can, but coppers will continue to work special and VRI. Screw that, stop helping the city. Let it burn for a while and Tiny Dancer will be more then happy to leave us alone.
Rahm is saving, he's spending. Cutting budgets to spend more on parks and freeloader programs.
Two years until election...
Did he really have to take a shot at all of the coppers who, for whatever reason, worked inside at some point of their careers? Don't think so.
This shit wont stop until some brass balled military and/or police "detain" these asshole pols and "reason" with them, and their security details. We can dream, can't we?
I am glad to see this lawsuit in the works. It's outcome will affect us all. In the mean time, my prayers are with this lead officer on the suit as he deals with his medical issues.
Many years ago, some of the guys came up with a plan to add another half percent onto the pension, this would take care of any future problems. Seems the patrolmen were correct, and Daley, with all his high paid consultants was wrong.
You have to remember, over the years, the little guys on this job have come up with many great ideas, all of which would have made the pension fund either better or stronger. The political appointees have always used the funds for only the mayors betterment.
Don't forget the city trasurer they sent to jail after she started asking question.
Also, didn't Bill Daley advise the mayors people???
nonymous said...
The battle has now begun.
7/26/2013 02:19:00 AM
I am afraid that it is now too little and too late
I don't know why the city does not just eliminate future pensions altogether and allow future cops to pay into SS and collect. Why not just do a straight 401 K program for new hires.
Anonymous said...
Hey RE: I got a great fucking idea. How about cnxing Maggie Daley's Park already? WTF. You truly are a scum bag. Cancel health care but build a fucking park. You truly are an asshole.
7/26/2013 01:22:00 AM
Look, I know it's convenient to bitch, and bitch, and bitch about the Maggie park. But, this is not some new park. It's the renaming of the existing park and all the REPAIRS required to shore up the shoddy work done in such a big fat hurry to be able to cut the ribbon on Millenium Park on time.
Bitch about the money wasted on the river walk. Or the new basketball venue. Or the messy, tangled, useless bike lanes. But that money was going to be spent on that park regardless of what it was called. The ceiling of the parking lot beneath it was CAVING IN.
And, by the way, the work is mostly done. It isn't pending or 'gonna happen'. The money is already spent.
If Underwood is a vet, doesn't he get free Medical? Rahmtiny dancer said everybody must pay; big business, tax payers (that's us) and Us again!
Never let a good crises like a triple downgrade of your bonds go to waste when you can use it against police pensions.
Mike Underwood is the modern day John Hancock of his time. As you may recall, John Hancock had such disdain for King George III that he made his signature as large and flamboyant as possible so the King would be sure to recognize it was him. Give them hell Mike. You deserve everything and more for all your service to the City and more importantly our great nation.
no one more fitting to lead this charge. we are behind you 100%. this also needs to be brought to light in the districts as you may know the lesser involved officers don't watch the news, the blog, or even care to gather this important information in their off time. i don't think word of mouth will be enough for this issue.
I'm with you Mike whatever the cost fuck rham and his squids in city hall we worked for what we got and some little scumbag is not taking it away.
I first posted about the pension mess 6 years or so ago. At that time ( and some still believe it) the response was all about the state constitution , lawsuits and the like. I do think reality is finally setting in. It will be settled in a fed court room by some politically appointed fed judge. The city will never fully fund it, just the way it is. Prepare for it. I mentioned healthcare as the first cut years ago-- it is happening. Next will be something shoved through the legislature about Colas.
Its a good thing they started now. In Detroit a federal bankruptcy judge took charge of the pension fund issue and stopped all lawsuits until the federal bankruptcy case is over. I realize that Chicago hasn't filed for bankruptcy, but its best to get this case heard now
===========
the us constitution gives congress the sole power to determine how bankruptcies are handled. it does not really matter what the state constitution or any contract says once it gets to a bankruptcy. better to settle well before it goes there.
If the active and retired police officers and firefighters lose their healthcare and pensions I don't think we are going to get much, if any, sympathy from the public. Frankly, they really don't give a damn as gauged by public comments in the press.
The " end game " is to destroy the middle class and have everyone dependent on Gov't handouts.
All thanks to liberal white people!
Either everyone should be subject to Obamacare or no one should.
I really don't know what to say to the police department, but I'll try.
'Pay attention now' means every single day. Just as sure as you check to see if your pistol is loaded, check on your benefits. Every day. Your health insurance can quietly cease to exist and you'll never know it until you try using it.
Find someone who understands how your retirement is supposed to work, how it actually should work and how it's really working right now. Understand it as well as you understand police work.
Don't do this alone. Keep pressure on each other to do this and keep doing it, and maybe things will shake out alright for you. But if they don't, at least you'll have plenty of warning.
What happens when the well runs dry???? Just look at Detroit, can't get water out of a rock. Me thinks we are fucked, thank god other then working in this rat hole, I decided a long time ago to buy and rent property....boys and girls...I think the days of a secure pension are almost over...the writing is on the wall..heed the warning......eating beans and weenies in retirement is no fun...although there are some on the job that are used to having cock in the mouth all the time..you know who you are....usually the command staff
case # 2013-CH-17450
Attorney: KRISLOV CLINTON A
https://w3.courtlink.lexisnexis.com/cookcounty/Finddock.asp?DocketKey=CABD0CH0BHEFA0CH
Anonymous said...
The "Most Interesting Man In The World" is a distant second to Mike Underwood.
A man whose reputation precedes him, I had the honor of meeting and getting to know Mike over the last several years. It wasn't until stories over beers with some of the elders that the name and face were confirmed and officially assigned to the legend I'd heard so much about in my formative years on the job.
On top of dutifully serving the people of Chicago in his years with CPD, it should be noted that Mike also served his country in Vietnam. That alone should secure carte blanche medical treatment for life for Underwood as well as every other U.S. veteran.
"If you aren't paying attention, start. Now."
Ditto what SCC says. They're slowly trying to take away everything that was promised and everything the last generations of CPD have fought for and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't be so naive to think that things won in past contract negotiations can't be diminished or eliminated altogether.
They're fucking with our retirees' health care. If they're successful, active members are sure to follow. They've made their intentions known that they're coming after our pensions. They want to raise the mandatory minimum retirement age. Whether you've got 2 or 25 years to go until retirement, look past today and realize that all these changed will impact every last one of us.
Best wishes to Mike and every other plaintiff trying to stop that rotten cocksucker Emanuel. If your reputation is any indicator, we're in excellent hands.
Glen Popiela #14124 - 011th District, 3/W
7/26/2013 01:57:00 AM
He served in the USMC in Vietnam. Artillery. Two tours.
Buckle your seat belts -- Rahm's plan is the same as Obama's: they're going to shop for the shittiest health coverage they can find at triple the cost, which will effectively price retirees out of the plans anyhow. 45% of a 3x higher premium is still too much for retirees to afford. Game, set, match.
Millions to scum bag killers but not to retirees health care. Why do you men and women keep serving and protecting?
Hey Box Chevy. Please take a grammar and writing class. Your posts are always so fucking hard to read. Maybe don't post at 2am. Are you sleepy or drunk?
Anonymous said...
Hey Glen nice to see your going to try another run for the FOP. Now go back to 011 and tell everybody how great Mikey is.
7/26/2013 07:42:00 AM
Says yet another anonymous keyboard cowboy coward. Go tell him to his face if you think you have the stones.
Didn't think so. He'll have my vote and a ton more if be runs again.
MOODY'S LIED about the HOUSING DIRIVATIVE VALUES. MOODY's is full of shit.
Anonymous said...
Millions to scum bag killers but not to retirees health care. Why do you men and women keep serving and protecting?
7/27/2013 12:24:00 AM
Is like in Russia. They pretend to pay us, we pretend to work.
Anonymous said...
If Underwood is a vet, doesn't he get free Medical? Rahmtiny dancer said everybody must pay; big business, tax payers (that's us) and Us again!
7/26/2013 10:11:00 AM
Yes, and as a veteran police officer he also is supposed to get medical care from the city he served for so many years. VA means you have to trek down to the VA hospital. Retirees health insurance you go anywhere.
It's like the red pill and the blue pill. If they told us years ago that we would be fighting now to keep our fucked up bodies in repair, do you think most of us would have thrown caution to the wind and kept chasing and fighting the beast? Fuck that shit.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Hey RE: I got a great fucking idea. How about cnxing Maggie Daley's Park already? WTF. You truly are a scum bag. Cancel health care but build a fucking park. You truly are an asshole.
7/26/2013 01:22:00 AM
Don't forget the new Malcolm X College that ballerina wants to build and to which 9.5 has already committed $250 million bucks. And DePaul Basketball Court.
Anonymous said...
Hey Box Chevy. Please take a grammar and writing class. Your posts are always so fucking hard to read. Maybe don't post at 2am. Are you sleepy or drunk?
7/27/2013 04:22:00 AM
I have a feeling about 99% of the readers here just scroll down and ignore his BS.Sleepy,drunk or completely insane if he ever has a valid point,nobodys going to see it.
I just read a financial mag which states that Detroit is now a test case between the power of federal bankruptcy laws and state constitutions protecting public pensions. They claim many cities will be watching this case and if the federal laws overpower the state constitutions, the cities will now feel safe to file bankruptcy to wiggle out of health care costs and pension obligations. This article predicted a landslide of city bankruptcies in the coming years.
Anonymous said...
Hey Box Chevy. Please take a grammar and writing class. Your posts are always so fucking hard to read. Maybe don't post at 2am. Are you sleepy or drunk?
7/27/2013 04:22:00 AM
Take advantage of the fact he usually uses his blogger id and gives you a heads up on who he is, so you can skip his posts. Makes life easier.
Anonymous said...
What happens when the well runs dry???? Just look at Detroit, can't get water out of a rock. Me thinks we are fucked, thank god other then working in this rat hole, I decided a long time ago to buy and rent property....boys and girls...I think the days of a secure pension are almost over...the writing is on the wall..heed the warning......
7/26/2013 03:55:00 PM
The well isn't anywhere near dry. Stop spending money on bike lanes to remind bicycles to keep to the right, and river walks, so a few hundred people can have an unforgettable dining experience, and more and more concrete planters, aka obstructions, in the middle of every street. Put the TIF money into pensions (EVERY TIF district needs police and fire protection, so it's not misallocation of funds). Tighten the belt for ONE YEAR, regain control over City finances instead of spending like there's no tomorrow, and - poof - SOLVENCY.
"Hey Box Chevy. Please take a grammar and writing class. your posts are always so fucking hard to read. Maybe don't post at 2am. Are you sleepy or drunk?"
7/27/2013 04:22:00 AM
Speak of the devil, did you just fucking stumble in from a 4am bar or something Mr. 4:22am?
Other than joyfully exercising your right to criticize, you offer no observation, no insight, no road-map of culpability for the sub-humans in the criminal-political/corporate/media cocktail party & fundraiser circuit giving their all to destroy a group of people ostensibly because they can?
Offer something constructive to the dialog... There may be hope a solution could be found.
I can't believe anyone is really surprised. Did you really think keeping the Chicago Machine in power was going to help you? You made your bed.
VA health care isn't free. They charge just like any other hospital. A vteran receives free care for service connected health issues, but a claim must be filed, and it takes years to be approved.
Law suits do not generate more wealth. The suits will only further weaken the untenable finances of Chicago.
As Gov. Snyder said of Detroit, so it is here in Chicago:
"I knew from the outset that it would be difficult to reverse 60 years of decline in which promises were made that did not reflect the reality of the ability to deliver on those promises."
Mike Underwood is a no nonsense guy who doesn't suffer fools gladly. Had a great perspective on the white shirts & let them know. Enjoy your retirement Mike, you definitely earned it.
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