ILLINOIS SCREWS ITS RETIREES AND WORKERS

More than 21,000 retired city employees under age 65 will pay 15 percent more for their health insurance — an increase a union official called “alarming” and an expert said spotlitghts a $1.3 billion unfunded liability for Chicago taxpayers.

Paul Geiger, general counsel for the Fraternal Order of Police, said the first double-digit increase since 2004 will create an “enormous hardship” for retired couples on fixed incomes who are not yet eligible for Medicare.

Beginning July 1, their health insurance premiums will rise by $89-a-month — from $626 to $715. The monthly cost for Medicare-eligible couples will decline by $20 — from $217 to $197.
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WELCOME TO THE NEW DIRECTOR

Gary W. Schenkel was the director of the Office of the Federal Protective Service, one of the six divisions of the National Protection and Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security from March 2007 until July 2010. A retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, Schenkel has experience in a wide range of arenas, including organizational transformation efforts, security planning for public facilities, logistical planning and execution and business administration.
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