SNAPSHOT Spending Report- Public Ed Excesses Education16

September 2, 2014 06:40 AM
AmericanTransparencyLogo
Education16
 
SALARIES * PENSIONS * VENDOR SPENDING
 
 ILLINOIS SCHOOL DISTRICTS
 
 (Chicago Public Schools Coming Soon)
 
What did we find? 
READ FRONT PAGE OF WASHINGTON TIMES
 
The_Washington_Times
 
 
Generous teacher pensions continue as 
Illinois' financial crisis worsens
By Investigative Reporter Kelly Riddell | September 2, 2014 
 
At OpenTheBooks.com, today, we released our SNAPSHOT™ Spending Report for 928 IL school districts. Each report covers pensions, salaries, and vendor spending. Each individual school district is bench marked on spending vs. consumer price index (CPI) inflation.
HOW DID YOUR DISTRICT SPEND YOUR TAX DOLLARS?
 
 
In my hometown of Hinsdale, the salary spending since 2000 is up over 76% vs. inflation. The average salary is over $105,000 (2012) and 223 employees making over $100,000 per year. Incredibly, the teachers are threatening to strike.
 
AMONGST OUR FINDINGS:
 
1. 5,930 retired educators have $100,000 annual pensions. In 2014, the number of six figure pensions increased by 24.4% from 4,767 (2013).
 
2. 20 months- retired educators on average "broke even" their own pension investments. In other words, retired educators were "paid back" within 20 months of retirement.
 
3. Salary Abuse Case Example: In 2012, administrator Mohsin Dada double-dipped pensions and now cleans off over $494,000: current salary of $239,895 and retirement pension of $254,700. High pension is result of obscene salary spike from $156,160 to $358,750 before "retirement."
 
4. 16,257 of 162,960 active educators earn over $100,000 per year- collectively, costing $1.977 billion. In five years, the number of employees earning a six figure salary increased by 69.5%!
 
5. What's Going On? Teachers Retirement System is slow-walking the 2013 salary numbers- 2012 is the latest salary year available and 2013 salaries will not be available until October 15!
 
6. Salary Abuse Case Example: In Oak Brook D53, Sandra Renner made $288,240 (2012), up from just $138,161 in 2001. Renner retired on a pension of $210,480. The pension is higher than all but 5 of her active salary years.
 
7. In 2013, nearly $40,000,000 was paid out to various unions-Illinois Education Association and National Education Association received the most. But, even the Teamster's received funding.
 
8. Spending tens of millions spent on taxi cabs. In 2013, over $11.1 million was spent on taxi cabs with over $71,000,000 in payments since 2006. 
 
9. At least $55,000,000 million was paid out to "consultants." With over 16,000 administrators and educators earning a six-figure salary, why were so many extra experts needed?
 
10. Schools spent at least $4,000,000 on hotel rooms in the finest resorts and destinations across America (2013). Searches for "Marriott" and "Hyatt" rendered $1,254,078; but, only $1,359 for Red Roof Inn & $16,405 for Super 8/Motel 6.
 
HOW DID YOUR DISTRICT SPEND YOUR TAX DOLLARS?
 
 
If you don't live in Illinois, help us bring our SNAPSHOT Spending Report to your state. Please make a tax deductible gift of $25, $50, $100, $250 or $500 today. 
 
Stay tuned. OpenTheBooks.com has more cool stuff coming soon! 
Adam
 
ADAM ANDRZEJEWSKI
Founder, Open The Books
Chairman, American Transparency 
 
 
P.S. Coming soon every village, city, park district and local unit of government in Illinois!
 
2013_Recap_Logo
Back to news
Donate_Button_Red
Sign the Petition