1) Read the letter from RTAC's President and Executive Director to the Conference committee HERE.

2) Listen to the 'Chicago Tonight' segment on CPS teacher layoffs which aired Monday (7/22).  Go to

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2013/07/22/cps-announces-more-layoffs   (You may need to copy and paste this into your browser.) 
Pay particular attention to the discussion of the CPS budget.

3) Read the bulletin from CTPF (scroll way down past the +++++++++++).

5) Write your legislators and your local media (newspapers, radio, TV, etc. - addresses below) and tell them the following:

B)    The layoffs of over 2,000 CPS teachers and paraprofessionals were not caused by CPS’ need to make its payments to the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund.

C)    These educators were laid off due to the closure of over 50 Chicago Public Schools.

D)   CPS’ attribution of the layoffs to the pension issue is incorrect and misleading.

E)    CPS’ current large pension obligation has increased due to the Illinois legislature’s acquiescence to Mayor Richard Daley’s 1995 request to use teachers’ pension levies for the school district’s operating budget.

F)    Those who raised their voices during the past fifteen years to indicate that the day would come when the pension obligations would be due were dismissed and/or ignored.

G)   Current and retired Chicago Public School educators faithfully pay 9% of their incomes into the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund throughout their careers. Most are ineligible for Social Security and rely on their pensions to meet their needs in retirement.

H)   CTPF and other pension funds cannot generate the funds needed to pay retirees strictly on the basis of employee contributions. Employers must make their mandated contributions in a timely manner.

I)      Now is the time to rectify the past  errors by reinstating the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund levies. Actually, every public agency needs to make pension contributions on behalf of its employees in the same manner that private organizations must pay into Social Security on behalf of their employees.

J)     Utilize TIF monies to make the past due payments and become current on its obligations going forward.

K)    CPS has 'cried wolf' for the last 15 years and yet has managed to initiate numerous new programs even when claiming to be 'penniless';

L)    Tighten CPS purse strings to eliminate discretionary ‘dream projects’ and meet its obligations to its retirees now and always.

6)   Here are the names and e-mail addresses of the members of the Conference Committee on Pensions.

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RTAC
111 N Wabash Ave.
Suite 2010
Chicago IL 60602
312-750-1522

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

CHICAGO, July 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --The Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund (CTPF) described as "misleading" claims by Chicago Public Schools (CPS) that the increasing pension obligations will cause the layoff of more than 2,000 workers.  CTPF countered that CPS understood the increase would occur in 2010 when it struck a deal with the Illinois Legislature to provide three years of pension underfunding from 2011-2013.

Founded in 1895, the CTPF was adequately funded by the Chicago taxpayer for more than 100 years. In 1995, the City of Chicago, struggling with financial problems, sought and received General Assembly approval to divert property tax levies that were earmarked for teacher pensions.

From 1996 to 2005, Chicago collected $2 billion in tax revenues intended for teacher pensions, but spent the money elsewhere. In 2010, the General Assembly granted CPS' request to postpone another $1.2 billion in payments as "pension relief."

CPS currently owes about $600 million annually to CTPF due to the many years of underfunding, but last year paid only $200 million.

"When the employer doesn't make any contribution for 10 years (1996-2005), then pays only a portion of its contributions for three years (2011-2013), those debts pile up," said Kevin Huber, executive director of CTPF. "Continuing to underfund the pension — as CPS proposed to the General Assembly on May 31 — will only exacerbate the problem.

"Next year, Chicago Public Schools must begin paying what it owes CTPF after many years of neglect. Our executives, actuaries and board have been working tirelessly to provide factual, unbiased information so that the employer, employees, retirees and state of Illinois can work toward a reasonable solution to this difficult situation — but to announce a massive layoff today and blame it on the pension obligation
is misleading. This is a problem that started almost 20 years ago.

"In a difficult environment, we will continue to prudently manage the retirement assets of more than 60,000 active and retired teachers — each of whom contributed, or is contributing, faithfully to the plan each and every month. We hope CPS will meet its obligations.

ABOUT CTPF
Established by the Illinois state legislature in 1895, the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund manages members' assets and administers benefits. The $9.5 billion pension fund serves approximately 60,537 active and retired educators, and provides pension and health insurance benefits to more than 25,000 beneficiaries.
(SOURCE Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund.)