Warning: Constant ABSPATH already defined in /home/flanews/public_html/wp-config.php on line 34
Capitol News Service » Blog Archive » Fixing What’s Not Broken

Welcome to

Capitol News Service

Florida's Best Political Coverage on Television

 


 


 


Recent Posts

RSS Quote of the Day

  • Charles Baudelaire
    "Everything that is beautiful and noble is the product of reason and calculation."
  • Wilson Mizner
    "The best way to keep your friends is not to give them away."
  • Benjamin Disraeli
    "Silence is the mother of truth."
  • H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
    "Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness."

Fixing What’s Not Broken

April 25th, 2014 by flanews

For the second year in a row lawmakers are battling over whether or not the state’s pension system needs to be fixed. Many believe it’s one of the healthiest in the nation.

Giving newly hired state employees the option of a defined benefit plan or a 401 k style plan has been a tough sell.  The Florida Retirement System at 86 percent funded is one of the nation’s strongest. It was more than 100 percent funded almost a decade ago. Then the legislature started dipping into it.

“Despite our best efforts to weaken the system, it still remains one of the strongest in the nation. So when will enough be enough? I say right now,” said Lake Mary Democrat Rep. Mike Clelland.

Democrats don’t want to fix what’s not broken. Republicans say it’s the right move.

“Hearing the story that someone put in 7 years and is going to leave the state without a nickel is not smart. In the new plan they will walk away after a year being vested<” said Rep. Marlene O’Toole (R-Lady Lake).

As Republicans cheered. Democrats booed.  The bill passed the House without much worry.

Even though the measure passed easily in the House, there are no guarantees when it gets to the Senate.

The House attached the bill to a local plan that would strengthen police and fire pensions.  Combining the two could spell trouble in the other chamber.

“The local bill, it’s going to pass 40 to 0. The cities and the unions have come to an agreement. If the FRS bill’s attached to it you go from 40 votes to trying to scramble 21,” said Sen. Jeremy Ring (D-Margate). Ring is the sponsor of the local bill.

Both chambers have a week to figure out what’s best for Florida’s workforce.

Posted in State News | Comments Off on Fixing What’s Not Broken

Comments are closed.

copyright © 2016 by Capitol News Service | Powered by Wordpress | Hosted by LyonsHost.com