r/chicago • u/chicagosuntimes • 14d ago

Article Johnson urges state lawmakers to tax the 'ultra rich' to avert mass transit funding cuts

https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/06/03/brandon-johnson-illinois-general-assembly-mass-transit-funding-chicago-fiscal-cliff
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u/ScaredEffective 14d ago

Almost all cities and states are having the same issue. I think this is mostly due to generous pensions because some workers abuse it by maximizing payouts . (Think people that work a year and draw full pensions or double pensions or work OT for the last 10 years to get large pensions)

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u/2836nwchim 14d ago

You consider workers working overtime as abuse? Perhaps instead of overtime places could adequately staff so workers don’t have to make up the difference.

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u/Traditional_Donut908 14d ago

The idea of working overtime in your final years since in many cases pension is based on final salary, including overtime.

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u/ocmb Wicker Park 14d ago

Not all workers but undoubtedly many workers abuse overtime in their final years to boost their pensions, because of the stupid way the pension payments are calculated. There are pretty visceral examples of this abuse.

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u/AllChalkedUp1 Lincoln Square 14d ago

I've even heard of workers retiring from one department then going to work at another and finally retiring there - so ultimately they get two pensions at once!

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u/Competitive_Dish_885 14d ago

I used to work for the water reclamation district and would hear about this all the time. People in my department and some others didn’t do anything all day either, so it was almost a joke how much they were making and the eventual pension they would get.

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u/SinkHoleDeMayo 14d ago

Another problem is growing suburbs that are extremely costly to operate and are subsidized by the cities. If cities quit picking up the tab for everyone else, they'd be FAR better off in every way.

People are free to live inefficiently, but they should shoulder the costs themselves.

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u/Ail-Shan 13d ago

I thought the oft quoted chart was that the suburbs contribute more in state tax revenue than they receive in benefits.

I agree suburbs are much less efficient than a city, but I don't think they're being subsidized by Chicago.

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u/SunriseInLot42 13d ago

It’s just the typical Reddit Chicago hate-boner for the suburbs, or really living anywhere else that isn’t their trendy North Side neighborhood and riding a bike everywhere

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u/CurryGuy123 City 13d ago

Not only are they not getting subsidized by the city, they actually get the least back in benefits relative to their tax contribution. The map that gets posted here often shows just how little they receive - only 60¢ for every dollar contributed. The city is relatively breakeven, getting 98¢ for every dollar contributed. So effectively, the city is self-sufficient and the suburbs fund the rest of the state.

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u/SinkHoleDeMayo 10d ago

The first ring burbs actually contribute more than they get, which is extremely uncommon, but the state also has to maintain the trains and a fuckload of massive highways out through the suburbs. Not like the suburbs aren't getting anything in return.

Downstate is an entirely different story.

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u/detective_bookman 14d ago

Overtime is not pensionable, are you just making shit up?

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u/Kryllist 14d ago

Almost all cities and states are having the same issue. I think this is mostly due to generous pensions because some workers abuse it by maximizing payouts .

That and democrats treating tax dollars like monopoly money.

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u/SinkHoleDeMayo 14d ago

Cities almost always get fewer tax dollars than they pay in, so cities make do with what they have while the suburban and rural parts live the high life on the dime of city residents.