Teachers Unions Call Chicago Tribune " A Tool of Terror " For Suggesting Public Pensions Be Cut

Dennis Byrne's timely op-ed piece in the Chicago Tribune has evoked a response from the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association:

How much longer will the Chicago Tribune allow itself to be used as a tool of terror by millionaire Eden Martin in his quest to deprive hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans of the reasonable retirement they, in large part, have paid for?

The August 10 opinion piece, ostensibly written by public relations specialist Dennis Byrne, is a blatant attempt to frighten and intimidate innocent people who simply expect the State of Illinois to keep its promises.

Byrne/Martin's claim that the state pension shortfall was caused by overly-generous pension benefits paid to state employees and teachers is provably false. And they know it.

They also know that suggesting that police officers, fire fighters, teachers, and state workers could be denied the reasonable retirements promised them is an unconscionable use of a newspaper to force a surrender by those who continue to work hard and well for the people of Illinois.

Just a reminder to the teachers unions: a $30,000 a year pension(with today's low interest rates) is like having a $1 million 401K.