Pension Progress???

As  we discussed at last night's SSCIA monthly meeting,  Illinois' Pension Problem still hangs heavy over our head, affecting the State and City's credit rating, ability to sell bonds and of course trickling down to our ability to mortgage our purchases.  The City has its own problems.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is taking another step to whittle down the city's obligations by settling contracts with unions on a piece meal basis.  The Sun Times reports that he is close to a deal with two pension funds representing building trades and white collar employees.   The Il General Assembly must approve the agreement.  Speculation  is that this potential settlement  would put pressure on the police and fire unions to settle for less. 

Not all unions have the same terms and benefits such as health and retirement age so they negotiate separately.

Sprinkler Fire Wall - HB4609

 Sprinkler Fire Wall

HB4609

Sometimes the good guys win, or at least come out even.   Today in Springfield, we did pretty well in the ongoing battles with the State Fire Marshall and the Sprinkler System people.  It was a good maneuver and maybe even better public policy.

State Representative Sara Feigenholtz of Lakeview, officemate with Senate President John Cullerton and a powerhouse in her own right, just might have been laying in wait for those sprinkler lobbyists. She had a shell bill, HB4609, and yesterday she amended it to protect the thousands of landlords, tenants and Association members who keep getting threatened by the Fire Marshall and the Sprinkler System companies.

The bill as amended creates the Task Force on Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Education and Provides requirements for the membership and duties of the Task Force.  This task force will make a report to the General Assembly by July 15, 2015. 

The best part of the bill  provides that the Office of the State Fire Marshal may not adopt rules imposing new statewide mandates or changes to existing or future statewide mandates requiring the installation of fire sprinkler systems in specific types of buildings or other structures.   Any changes must be approved by the General Assembly which has a history of killing these proposals hence the fire wall.  A Fire Prevention Fund will be established to help modernize ambulance and fire truck equipment.  

Seems to have the making of a deal which both sides can claim victory. At this point many of us (owners) would tend to think that the Fire Marshall no longer has us pinned down at the one yard line.