by Ron DeLord | Oct 4, 2015 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
This is the second part of a two-part story on Houston’s pension crisis. Pensions are swallowing the Houston budget. Take Houston’s legendary dilapidated roads. Houston is spending six times more on pensions than road repairs, and even that’s not enough to cover the...
by Ron DeLord | Sep 27, 2015 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
Last week, Republican legislative leadership proposed a “take it or leave it deal” in the midst of the budget stalemate. It would swap deep cuts in public employees’ retirement security for $300 million more to partially restore K through 12 education funding...
by Ron DeLord | Sep 27, 2015 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
Former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and former San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio plan to revise and resubmit their proposed statewide initiative aimed at requiring voter approval for new government pension plans in response to a summary by the attorney general that they...
by Ron DeLord | Sep 27, 2015 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposed Tuesday a property tax increase totaling $543 million over the next four years to help prop up the $2.9 billion Chicago Policemen’s Annuity & Benefit Fund and the $1 billion Chicago Firemen’s Annuity & Benefit...
by Ron DeLord | Sep 27, 2015 | Collective Bargaining, Health Insurance, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Unions
Watching the Long Beach City Council discussing the city’s 2015-16 budget was kind of like watching the calm before the storm. In a series of unanimous votes, the council agreed to spending nearly $428 million in general funds for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. The...
by Ron DeLord | Sep 27, 2015 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
Memphis City Council members gave final approval Tuesday, Sept. 15, to a freeze on the city’s deferred retirement program in an effort to bolster police ranks and keep the force from dropping below 2,000 officers. The freeze option is open to 280 city employees, 178...
