by Robert Shirtliffe
Wonder where some of those tax dollars you contributed to the state of Illinois last week went?
The Civic Federation released a study last week you might find eye-opening. They found you and I provide health insurance for over 346,000 government employees, retirees and their dependents. This obligation incurred by state lawmakers in years past costs us $1.8 billion each year.
The State of Illinois is now spending a half a billion more on employee and retiree health care than on the total annual budget of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). "Without reform, the State's employee and retiree health insurance costs will soon overtake the entire budget for the Illinois Department of Transportation," said Laurence Msall, President of the Civic Federation in a press release last Monday.
Key reforms to the state's system could save the state $466 million.
"State lawmakers must begin to ask the question of whether maintaining an extraordinarily generous employee health insurance program is really more of a priority for scarce tax dollars than safe homes for children and State spending for roads and transit."
Right, Mr. Msall. Revamping the retiree health care system is on the state's "To Do" list. . . right after state employees' health care premium contributions are raised to a fairer level and system enrollees are transferred into cheaper managed care.
And that will happen when hell freezes over . . . or pigs fly. . . or the GOP wins back the majority in the IL General Assembly.
