Retiree Win - Link
- A Cook County court judge has thrown a curveball that threatens to prevent Mayor Rahm Emanuel from saving $108.7 million a year by completing a three-year phase-out of the city’s 55-percent subsidy for retiree health care.
In a 15-page ruling handed down this week, Circuit Judge Neil Cohen rejected the city’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 30,000 retirees and kept the individual pension funds on the hook as well.
More importantly, Cohen ruled that the lifetime health care coverage of 20,000 people who started working for the city prior to Aug. 23, 1989, is protected by the Illinois Constitution’s pension protection clause. It states that those benefits “shall not be diminished or impaired.”
It certainly looks like a lot of refunds will be forthcoming.
Labels: general
posted by SCC at 12:29 AM
24 Comments:
Thank-you Judge Cohen.
Why is it so rare to have a small fragment of justice in this cesspool known as Chicago. Now watch Rahm piss away more of our money to keep fighting this.
If Rahm does, please Judge, hold in in contempt.
Will be a while before this will be resolved. Just like the pension case now before the Illinois Supreme Court. The city will waste $millions to fight these cases in court. Tax payer dollars being wasted. Of course those $millions paid to connected selected outside law firms brings back lots of cash to politicians reelection campaigns. Method to the madness.
Well lets hope FOP keeps their foot on the city's neck to make sure these ASSHOLES send OUR Refund checks out in a TIMELY Fashion. Lets go FOP
Kindly keep in mind that any success in this suit vs. the city is a result of the continued fight by the attorney hired to represent our cause. While it appears to be a group settlement on behalf of our retirees, the funding for the fight needs to be replenished on a regular basis, as this has been going on for many years now.
It would help the cause to send some funds to the firm to continue their fight. Any amount helps, I'm sure. Please help by sending a contribution to keep up the good work on our behalf. Info follows...
Clint Krislov
Krislov & Associates, Ltd.
Civic Opera Building, Suite 1300
20 North Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Seems like rahms world is finally circling the drain hole -- couldn't of happened to a nicer guy
Refunds paid from what - lottery receipts? Payout from that is less than $600. The tax money is gone - who knows where? The bonds are junk. The family and I fled Madiganistan last year. It was a no-brainer.
Sorry for those of you who started on the job after 1989. I wish you luck in your future efforts to seek justice.
However, Thank G_d [a nod to the good Dept. Rabi] I came on before 1989. I wasn't sure yesterday if I ws covered by the decision but it seems like a slam dunk right now.
Oh, and a great big FUCK YOU to rahm!
Thank you SCC for finding this out for us retirees. You are the best I read you every day!!
I love it when Rahm gets spanked.
Don't hold your breath waiting for a check ... we will all be dead before that happens.
Anonymous said...
Well lets hope FOP keeps their foot on the city's neck to make sure these ASSHOLES send OUR Refund checks out in a TIMELY Fashion. Lets go FOP
12/05/2015 06:46:00 AM
666
This is a preliminary decision that you should read. Nowhere does it state what the rates are going to be. The order states they can not stop offering health care. For officers hired after 89 he gave the attorney leave to re-file an amended motion to cover them using a different argument. FOP did not pick this attorney the plaintiffs did. FOP is the major funder also with the retired police assc. The city will appeal the final order to prolong it. You will not see reconciliation checks for the second half of 13 till 17 by the time the appeal is done. The judge would have to order the old process of an audit first. Don't hold your breath.
Here's the judge:
Judge Neil Cohen is the husband of Susan Sher, who served as former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s corporation counsel, then chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama. After leaving the White House, Sher returned to the University of Chicago, where she is spearheading the university’s plan to build the Obama Presidential Library in either Washington or Jackson Parks.
The biggest "Thank You" needs to be directed to retiree Mike Underwood for spearheading the whole effort. Without men like Mike taking the lead, things like this never get off the ground. Well done, Mr. Underwood.
E.T. Glen P. Popiela #14124
Unit 277
This is just another step in the process. To the person who sent the 9:40AM post, you should consider contributing to the cause like many of our brothers and sisters, because if you did you'd get regular updates from the attorney representing our interests. You can find his address at the 7:00AM post.
Dump Rahm, Not Retiree Benefits !
Thank You Judge. You saved my ass. Livin on a 1/2 pension [divorce] like many Coppers. Need all I still have just to survive.
Anonymous said...
Thank you SCC for finding this out for us retirees. You are the best I read you every day!!
12/05/2015 09:40:00 AM
The full court decision is on the FOP webpage though no FOP lawyer has boken it down to what could be just a few salient points.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Refunds paid from what - lottery receipts? Payout from that is less than $600. The tax money is gone - who knows where? The bonds are junk. The family and I fled Madiganistan last year. It was a no-brainer.
12/05/2015 09:02:00 AM
The lottery money isn't gone. It's in an account. The budget impasse has restricted payouts.
I came on in June of 1965 and retired in Sept of 1993. Do you think that I will see any of the money ? ? ?
The biggest "Thank You" needs to be directed to retiree Mike Underwood for spearheading the whole effort. Without men like Mike taking the lead, things like this never get off the ground. Well done, Mr. Underwood.
E.T. Glen P. Popiela #14124
Unit 277
No knock to Mike Underwood, but the only reason his name is on it is because he was a friend of Mike Shields. The suit was previously filed under a different name and was changed when it had to be amended years later. The attorney Clint Krislov has been on it since the beginning. I believe it use to be called Korshak before Underwood.
I am the 9:40 post I have and do contribute to the attorney's office. GFY
A Bit Off Topic: Would any 008th District retiree remember the name of the Mexican Restaurant that was located on the north side of 63rd Street and east of Sacramento (?) Avenue between 1985 to 1995? A bunch of us used to go there, but not a one of us can remember the name of the place back in the day and our way-back machine is broken! Thanks in advance.
The lottery money is state funds so it has nothing to do with city finances.
el Gallo de Oro is the restaurant
El Gallo is now at 111th and Maplewood, same food! Take it from someone who ate on 63rd and Whipple twice a week for 20 years while working in 008. The steak burrito is identical. They also have another place 5 or 6 blocks west of Cicero on 111th Street. Both are open late, past 2am not sure how much later.
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