NCPERS News Clips

March 22, 2011

News Clips for March 22, 2011

• Atlanta moves toward pension reform
  After months of debate, haggling and threats of litigation, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed finally unveiled his plans to revamp the city's pension program, which would reduce the annual and long-term costs of the program that he said has been crippling the city.
• Ernst: In pension debate, don't forget private sector
  Although the Times — which owns the Herald-Tribune — has frozen all pensions, this year it is contributing an amount equal to 3 percent of my 2010 pensionable earnings to my 410(k). This is in addition to the match that the company already provides to the 401(k).
• Kansas Senate to debate proposed public pensions fix
  A leader's plan for tackling the Kansas public pension system's long-term funding problems is balanced, but it remains part of a longer debate about retirement benefits for teachers and government workers, state senators said Monday.
• Union-free Virginia not spared state pension woes
  Where Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) wants to take his state, Virginia has already been: It is one of a handful of states that prohibit collective bargaining for public employees in state and local government.
• State workers, teachers to pay 5 percent to pension fund under House proposal
  Some 655,000 public employees would contribute 5 percent of their pay to the state's pension plan, while a lucrative early retirement program would end, under legislation approved Thursday by a House panel.
• Some in Congress demonize state, local pensions — but not their own
  Some members of Congress haven't been shy about criticizing underfunded state and local pension plans, even though federal lawmakers enjoy much heftier retirement packages than most private-sector employees and state workers do.
•  Illinois Pension Crisis Eludes Easy Solutions
  Lawmakers in Illinois say they may try to fix the state's ailing pension system by asking current workers to pay more into the plan, though the approach faces substantial legal and political obstacles.