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Our Mission Statement The Association is constituted to promote the welfare of public employees who have retired from service with the State of Illinois in all ways compatible with the public interest and to support and promote improvements in the public employee’s retirement systems of Illinois.
Retirement is when you spend less time worrying and more time enjoying
the “golden years”. ISEA Retirees can help eliminate your
worries by letting you discuss them with a live person rather than a
machine each weekday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. We can help eliminate
tax and retirement issues, insurance problems, long-term care questions
and rates, home safety with security systems and even help you get fresh
hearing aid batteries at blue light special prices. Our staff pledges
to help make your retirement truly a pleasant one. Victory for Retirees! May 25, 2010 The Senate bill which would create much pain for our IL State and University Retirees by forcing them to pay more for health care was defeated today. ISEA Retirees' Executive Director, Rudy Kink and our Lobbyist, Tom Ryder spent many hours the past few weeks to help guarantee victory for our retirees.
MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERSHIP
by: Rudy J. Kink Jr., Executive Director ISEA Retirees You, undoubtedly, have heard about all the cuts the Quinn administration proposes or read numerous news articles in which ideas and suggestions are offered to balance the budget. I believe all their ideas come down to taking something away from retirees or having state retirees pay for their own benefits. The majority of those critics of state employee benefits have no idea just how much past state employees (now retired) gave up for those benefits. During Governor Edgar’s administration, employees gave up salary increases during the tough fiscal times enabling the state to make contributions to the retirement systems on the employee’s behalf. This was completely negated by Governor Blagojevich’s administration when his administration required state employees to, again, start contributing to the retirement systems. Benefits were relinquished by state employees in order to maintain free health insurance. Now, guess what ... they are coming back to take that free health insurance away! Apparently, promises in the past mean nothing to the present administration and certain legislators. It is the same as the proper funding of the retirement systems was not the ‘‘priority’’ in past administrations or legislatures. However . . . their "Pork Barrel or member initiatives," always remain as a ‘‘top priority' and is estimated to be $1.3 billion this year. Governor Quinn’s administration is asking for an ‘‘Emergency Budget Act’’ which will give him the authority and ability to make reductions without legislative approval. How can such power be given to an individual who has his own agenda on running the state? If this is the case, there is no need for the State of Illinois to have legislators and; therefore, save the state billions of dollars. ISEA Retirees urges our members as well as all responsible individuals (retired or not) to contact your representatives and senators and strongly object to the "Emergency Budget Act" as well as the proposed cuts to our retiree’s benefits.
ISEA Retirees Director, Rudy J. Kink, Jr., interview on pension/healthcare reform. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAMN9DVQypo
Oppose the Emergency Budget Act Don’t Enable Governor Quinn’s Power Grab Governor Quinn is proposing an "Emergency Budget Act for FY2011". We believe that allowing Governor Quinn to bypass the legislative process is reckless, damaging and probably unconstitutional. We ask that you reject this request of the Governor. Voting "Yes" to allow the Governor this extraordinary power means that legislators are responsible for whatever actions and decisions are made by Governor Quinn under the authority of the Act. The organizations listed below and their members would find it necessary to hold the legislators accountable for actions taken by the Governor under such Act. One aspect is particularly troubling for us. The Governor has proposed that retired State employees and retired State funded university employees should pay significantly more for their health care coverage. This would cause some of the most vulnerable people of this State an undue hardship and, in some cases, extreme financial anguish. But the more important issue is that the amount that a retired State employee must pay for their health care is set by statute. (5 ILCS 375/10, PA 91-0395) To grant the authority to the Governor to change to change the amount that a retired employee must pay is literally to allow the Governor to rewrite a statute without the legislature. Any lawmaker that votes to hand over such emergency power is equally culpable for any cuts or actions that subsequently ensue. We believe that the Governor is asking for these extraordinary powers for the precise reason that the General Assembly would never agree to such a change in the statutes. Do not allow the Governor to do by "emergency" action that which you would not do. The Governor once said that "...a promise is a promise kept..." We ask that you keep the promise by voting no on any "Emergency Budget Act" or any other measure that would break the promise made to state retirees for their health insurance. On behalf of more than 72,000 State retirees, please vote NO. Illinois State Employees Association - Retirees Rudy J. Kink, Jr. 698-6070 Retired State Employees Association Cook-Witter, Inc. 789-6252 State Universities Annuitants Association Linda Brookhart 553-1091 May 3, 2010 Letter by Illinois State Employees Assoication Retirees Lobbyist, Tom Ryder, sent to every Illinois Legislator.
Pictures from press conference on May 5, 2010 at the State Capitol Building
Coalition for Retirees Rights From Left: Bill Curry, RSEA President; Linda Brookhart, SUAA Executive Director; Rudy J. Kink, Jr. ISEA/R Executive Director
ISEA Retiree Member speaks about the personally devastating effects of raising health care costs.
State-retirees talk pain of higher-health costs By John Guidroz THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER Posted May 5, 2010 @ 11:46 PM Last update May 6, 2010 @ 5:42 AM A group of retired state workers say they shouldn’t see hefty increases in health care costs as the state deals with major budget shortfall. Quinn has proposed making retirees pay a greater share of their health care costs. He and lawmakers also are discussing giving the governor authority to increase those under emergency budget authority. Linda Brookhart, director of the State University Annuitants Association, said at the Statehouse news conference Wednesday that the increases would push some retirees onto welfare rolls. Rudy J Kink, Jr. with the Illinois State Employees Association Retirees said the state could prevent the hikes by cutting pork barrel spending. “We picked up our dental insurance last year because that was one thing the state couldn’t afford anymore,” he said. “Where does it stop at?” That comes as the House Republicans push to end millions of dollars in pay raises for unionized state workers. They acknowledge that proposal won’t advance in the final days of session buy say it’s important to send the message that the raises are unfair at a time when other needs are sacrificing.
It is Benefits Choice Period Time May 1, 2010 - May 31, 2010
State University Retirement System Teachers Retirement System State Employees Retirement System
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