The Illinois legislature is in recess until October. Legislators have returned to their local offices where they welcome input from constituents and work toward understanding local issues and concerns. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and the Chicago Teachers? Pension Fund (CTPF) encourage all members to take time to meet and communicate with your local legislators. CTPF faces financial challenges due to state funding cuts. All members can share the urgency of these issues to lawmakers.

Make it a point to get to know your local legislators. Log on to www.ctunet.com and click on the Legislative Information tab to find out who represents you in Springfield. Call, write, e-mail, or visit a local office to share your concerns as a CTU/CTPF member.

Talking Points

1. CTPF funding for our retirees healthcare subsidy needs to be restored and increased. In 2009, the State of Illinois cut CTPF healthcare subsidy funding by 50 percent from $65 million to $32.5 million. At a minimum, this amount needs to be restored back to $65 million so that CTPF can continue to provide affordable health insurance for retirees. The amount that CTPF receives from the state is a fraction of what other state systems receive.

2. Encourage legislators to support legislation that allows CTPF to increase the amount of money it can spend on retiree health insurance which helps to maintain reasonable rebates for retiree health insurance. Last year, CTU and CTPF supported HB 0579, which would have increased the amount of money CTPF could spend on retiree health insurance. The bill, which did not ask for new funds from the state, would have allowed CTPF to spend more of its own funds.

3. The Chicago Public School system needs to fulfill its obligation to CTPF. Even in difficult financial times, pension obligations need to be paid. CPS is required to make a payment of approximately $307 million this year and needs to fulfill this commitment to ensure the future strength of the pension fund

Please contact your legislators and educate them on our issues.

Check out www.ctunet.com for timely information important to members.