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Some Question Quinn's Pension Reform Campaign
A day after Gov. Quinn released his grassroots effort to win support for reforming Illinois' pension system, some are asking, "Is this serious?"
This campaign has been months in the making. While some are commending the governor for being serious about trying to tackle the $96 billion dollar pension problem, his latest effort is raising some eyebrows.
Squeezy the Pension Python.
Kids wearing red plastic megaphones with the air quote, "Thanks in advance."
A Facebook page called "This is my Illinois."
These are some of the tactics unveiled by Quinn in hopes of convincing Illinoisans to demand their lawmakers to act now and save the pension system.
"I give him an A for effort," State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said. "As far as content and production, let's just say we'll wait and see how this turns out."
Most of those on the "This is my Illinois" Facebook page took a harsh line to Quinn's new grassroots campaign.
John wrote, "Is this serious?"
Fred wrote, "It's the endless circle. Unions give to the politicians. Politicians give to the unions. Who gets squeezed? The average guy or family."
"It's an educational campaign, to educate the people of Illinois about a complicated subject, but you don't have to be an accountant to see what the stakes are, what the issues are," Quinn said.
One way Quinn hopes to explain the pension mess is through a video.
"In Illinois, the slice of the budget pie devoted to pensions has tripled in just five years, going from $1.8 billion to $5.1 billion," the narrator in the video said. "Wait, that's not all. The pension squeeze makes it harder to attract new business and harder to attract capable people to teach our kids."
State Treasurer Rutherford said having a specific plan should be out there. If that's being done behind closed doors, he respects that.
"But I am not even sure that is going on right now," Rutherford said.
Quinn wants pension reform done by the the time the new General Assembly begins. They are sworn in January 9.
Some Question Quinn's Pension Reform Campaign
A day after Gov. Quinn released his grassroots effort to win support for reforming Illinois' pension system, some are asking, "Is this serious?"
This campaign has been months in the making. While some are commending the governor for being serious about trying to tackle the $96 billion dollar pension problem, his latest effort is raising some eyebrows.
Squeezy the Pension Python.
Kids wearing red plastic megaphones with the air quote, "Thanks in advance."
A Facebook page called "This is my Illinois."
These are some of the tactics unveiled by Quinn in hopes of convincing Illinoisans to demand their lawmakers to act now and save the pension system.
"I give him an A for effort," State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said. "As far as content and production, let's just say we'll wait and see how this turns out."
Most of those on the "This is my Illinois" Facebook page took a harsh line to Quinn's new grassroots campaign.
John wrote, "Is this serious?"
Fred wrote, "It's the endless circle. Unions give to the politicians. Politicians give to the unions. Who gets squeezed? The average guy or family."
"It's an educational campaign, to educate the people of Illinois about a complicated subject, but you don't have to be an accountant to see what the stakes are, what the issues are," Quinn said.
One way Quinn hopes to explain the pension mess is through a video.
"In Illinois, the slice of the budget pie devoted to pensions has tripled in just five years, going from $1.8 billion to $5.1 billion," the narrator in the video said. "Wait, that's not all. The pension squeeze makes it harder to attract new business and harder to attract capable people to teach our kids."
State Treasurer Rutherford said having a specific plan should be out there. If that's being done behind closed doors, he respects that.
"But I am not even sure that is going on right now," Rutherford said.
Quinn wants pension reform done by the the time the new General Assembly begins. They are sworn in January 9.
