NCPERS News Clips

January 10, 2012

News Clips for January 10, 2012

• Why Public Pensions Are So Rich
  Opinion: Shifting government workers to 401(k)-style plans would offer greater transparency and keep benefits in line with the private economy.
• Pension Reform III: Chapter 176
  MA: On November 18, 2011 Governor Deval Patrick signed "Pension Reform III" into law, as Chapter 176, Acts of 2011
• Quinn signs public pension overhaul
  Sweeping reforms are aimed at curbing public pension abuses by union officials revealed by a Tribune/WGN-TV investigation
• Christie calls on Democratic legislators to reduce public employee sick pay and vacation benefits
  With five days left for the Democratic-controlled Legislature to change the way sick and vacation benefits are provided to public workers, Gov. Chris Christie Wednesday visited the New Brunswick home of Frank and Joan Deiner to discuss the impact what the governor describes as his "Zero Means Zero" proposal would have in delivering property tax relief to New Jerseyans.
• ACLU Sues to Stop Michigan Law That Ends Public Employer Same-Sex Partner Benefits
  The American Civil Liberties Union, on behalf of four Michigan public employees and their partners, sued Michigan Gov. Richard Snyder (R) today to stop enforcement of the state's new law that prohibits some public entities from offering health coverage to their employees' domestic partners
• State unions sue over 2% healthcare cost hike
  A coalition of unions that say they represent virtually every state employee in New York is suing the Cuomo administration over its demand that retired members pay 2 percent more into their health insurance plans.
• Barker: No need to reform public pension system for teachers
  The premise of the opinion piece by Crosse is that the Dec. 7 column by Timm Herdt ("Glitzy pensions? Not for teachers") did not "address the big picture."
• Kansas lawmakers face big issues, but no deficit
  For the first time in nearly five years, lawmakers won't face a gaping hole in the state budget when they return to the Kansas Statehouse on Monday.
• Will Public Pensions Run Out of Money?
  Combined with employee and employer contributions, and considering the many changes that have been made to benefit levels in recent years, assertions of widespread pending pension fund insolvencies are simply unfounded.
•  Hatch Releases Report Detailing Threat of $4.4 Trillion Public Pension Debt
  U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today released a comprehensive report , State and Local Government Defined Benefit Pension Plans: The Pension Debt Crisis that Threatens America, outlining the financial risks of the nation's $4.4 trillion public pension debt and its negative impact on the American economy.