Securing retirements for public sector workers.

Retirement ought to be a time in which every person can relax, spend time with loved ones, and pursue interests and hobbies. And yet, these days, too many of our neighbors are stressed that their golden years will lack the security and dignity they have worked so hard for throughout their lives. The rising cost of living is leading many older workers to stay in the workforce longer out of necessity.

When it came time for me to re­tire three years ago, my husband and I discussed these concerns. I taught for over three decades, wrapping up my career at PORTA Public Schools. It’s fair to say that I dedicated my life to educating and preparing young people for their futures, while my spouse did in-home care for my mother as she navigated Alzheimer’s dis­ease. I felt it was worth it to make a difference at a job I loved, de­spite having a salary that was sig­nificantly less than what I could have made in the private sector. I also knew I had a pension that would ensure I could retire when the time came.

For many public workers – in­cluding police officers, firefighters, teachers, state park employees, and sanitation workers – pensions are the only source of stable retire­ment income they can count on. Pensions are incredibly important to the economic security of retired workers and their families, with those dollars going towards essen­tials, including housing, medical bills, and food.

That said, there is a great deal of misinformation out there about retirement security and pensions. One common misconception is that all retirees will receive So­cial Security benefits, provid­ing a foundation of retirement protection. However, this is not the case for most Illinois public employees. Instead of receiving Social Security benefits, many public sector workers will receive a pension, which they are likely dependent on as their only source of retirement income. Instead of the state paying for Social Secu­rity, the state instead contributes towards pensions. To taxpayers, it is no different than Social Securi­ty from the standpoint of financial obligations.

Another misunderstanding is that pensions only impact public workers and retirees, when in fact, everyone is impacted. When a re­tired librarian, firefighter, or park ranger receives a pension, they will spend those dollars in their local community on goods and services. The effect is significant economic output that supports jobs and generates tax revenue. This helps fund the services we all depend on, including schools, roads, and clean water, per a new report from the National Institute on Retirement Security. When municipal or state elected lead­ers divert resources from workers’ retirement security, there is even greater risk on future generations and the stability of our economy.

As many teachers I know have done, I worked extra jobs to make sure we could make ends meet. Over the course of many years, I have earned enough hours to make myself eligible for Social Se­curity. However, because I have a pension, I will never benefit from the money I was required to con­tribute to Social Security.

Over the last three years, the pandemic has exposed workforce challenges across sectors. Public sector employees have felt those impacts acutely as those who are employed by state and local gov­ernments work hard to ensure res­idents receive key services. Our educators, public safety officers, public works, and emergency technicians all play an important role in keeping localities running, increasing the importance of pro­tecting pension benefits from fu­ture cuts.

From the first responders who keep our neighborhoods safe, to the sanitation workers who main­tain our public spaces and protect public health, there is no doubt that public sector workers keep our communities moving forward. I urge all residents to come to­gether and contact your elected officials and ensure their commit­ment to funding the public pen­sion system. It will take all hands on deck to help identify sustain­able solutions, and our communi­ties will be that much stronger for it.

A school teacher for more than 30 years, Patricia Woods was honored for excellence in his­tory education in 2019 and has been a National Board Certified Teacher since 1998. Today, Pat lives in Petersburg with her hus­band George and occasionally takes on long-term sub positions to help out local schools, who are struggling to find subs.