Pensions have become winning lottery tickets (Chicago, Champaign: teaching jobs, university, salary)

[Manterro]

Data from Illinois’ six largest pension systems show 19,158 former government workers collect annual pensions of more than $100,000, costing those systems nearly $2.4 billion combined in fiscal year 2018.

Six-figure pensioners enrolled in those systems contributed an average of $160,100 toward their own retirements over the course of their careers and retired on average at age 59.

The top annual earner among the six systems is University of Illinois, Chicago professor emeritus Tapas Das Gupta, who received nearly $504,700 in fiscal year 2018. He has accumulated more than $6 million in benefits since retiring, despite having contributed only $475,300 to SURS – less than 8 percent of his total pension earnings.

Timothy Tully, who retired from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale at age 55, received $376,500 in benefits over the year, despite having contributed a total of just $43,600 to the fund during his career.

John Folse, another Southern Illinois University retiree, received $303,400 from SURS this year, and has collected more than $4.4 million total since retiring – the third-highest total among all enrollees. He contributed only $288,200 to his retirement plan – less than 7 percent of his total benefits

[smegmatite]

why do you think its so difficult to get a city and state job? You have to have connections or 'know a guy' because those retirement packages are super sweet deals

[Jon998877]

Originally Posted by smegmatite

why do you think its so difficult to get a city and state job? You have to have connections or 'know a guy' because those retirement packages are super sweet deals

There is a teacher shortage right now, about 2000 jobs last year went unfilled

[christianstad]

Oh give me a big break.

I worked for the state for 35 years, mid-level position, I got bleeding ulcers my job (Civil Service -no politics!) had so much pressure, I have a Master's degree and my pension is way under 50k.
Way, way more people like me than the political darlings who come and go - plenty of republicans among them.

[Genghis]

Those huge pensions normally go to doctors who were associated to a state university who did research as well as had large practices. The ones with the sky-high pensions usually were leaders in their field and commanded big salaries. Now that they are getting a pension they get a certain percentage of their old salary. It can be a lot but it's not at all representative of most pensions. These are very exceptional situations.

[bobsell]

Originally Posted by Jon998877

There is a teacher shortage right now, about 2000 jobs last year went unfilled

They're unfilled because they didn't hire anyone - they have plenty of applicants but didn't hire anyone.

[Jon998877]

Originally Posted by bobsell

They're unfilled because they didn't hire anyone - they have plenty of applicants but didn't hire anyone.

That's simply incorrect, we have 3 jobs open in my district now that have received a total of 2 applications, both who took jobs at other districts....

And the problem is even worse when you get south of Champaign..

[Sunbiz1]

Originally Posted by Jon998877

That's simply incorrect, we have 3 jobs open in my district now that have received a total of 2 applications, both who took jobs at other districts....

And the problem is even worse when you get south of Champaign..

While it may seem education is being singled out, it is only a portion of the mess:
"For example, the largest pension of all-time goes to a 31-year long-forgotten state senator."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamand.../#477f29514b04

[bobsell]

Originally Posted by Jon998877

That's simply incorrect, we have 3 jobs open in my district now that have received a total of 2 applications, both who took jobs at other districts....

And the problem is even worse when you get south of Champaign..

3 out of 2,000.

I was talking mainly about the big gorilla - CPS.

[damba]

Originally Posted by bobsell

They're unfilled because they didn't hire anyone - they have plenty of applicants but didn't hire anyone.

Applicants have to meet minimum standards/qualifications. A great deal of applicants for teaching jobs cannot be hired because they simply are not qualified.