PENSION CONTRACT-MARRIAGE PROPOSAL FAILS IP: 173.65.79.171 Posted on May 11, 2010 at 03:47:48 AM by Larry Vincent
TO ALL RETIREES,
I received word today that the Marriage After Retirement amendment to our pension contract has failed in Tallahassee. As you know, the Unions and the City backed the local bill that would have amended our contract. The Local Delegation passed the bill and sent it to Tallahassee to be voted on and passed. Once the bill got to Tallahassee, it was assigned to a committee. Unfortunately, the bill never made it out of committee to the floor of the Legislature. Therefore, there was no vote on the bill and it "Died In Committee." Apparently there was no serious push by our Union and City Lobbyists on the bill. So, what next. The bill can be introduced again this year, in December, to the Legislative Delegation and if passed sent to Tallahassee again. I do not know what happened. I thought this bill was a no-brainer but I was wrong. The only thing I can think of was that all pension issues have been frowned on due to a lot of bad press, here and other places. Although this bill was cost-neutral, I can only guess that it got labeled a pension bill change and that was the kiss of death. I do think that if the bill had the push that was exerted by the Mayor/City and the Unions for the multiplier, in 2004, the bill would have sailed through the Legislature. Hopefully when the bill comes up again, in 2011, perhaps a delegation from the RF&PA will go to Tallahassee and give it the push needed to get out of committee and onto the floor for a vote. I didn't expect the bill to be rejected or we would have kept a closer eye on it. When things like the multiplier comes up and gets passed and then this bill comes up and dies, makes me wonder why Retirees and their needs are so much less important. Just wondering.
Larry Vincent Replies: There have been no replies.
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