Daley Blasts Bill to Raise Teacher Pensions

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Byline: Jim Allen Daily Herald Staff Writer

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and his education team are fighting a state proposal to boost teacher pension perks, saying it will undercut the city school system's recovery.

"It's the election-year pension bill, but unfortunately it has provisions that would allow for a 50 to 60 percent pension benefit increase, which would add $3.1 billion to the unfunded liability of the state system," said Paul Vallas, chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools.

Vallas is Daley's former budget chief who was assigned the job of rebuilding the troubled school system. He predicted the cost of the pension bonus for …