Don’t Duck the Hard Issues (Townhall.com) February 9, 2011
Posted by daviddavenport in Radio Commentaries.
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With several cities and states on the verge of insolvency there are finally, serious discussions about cutting
Courtesy of Townhall.com
government budgets. But there is little talk about one of the biggest problems: public employee benefits and pensions.
As one example, cities in my county now spend three times as much on employee benefits as they did a decade ago. Twenty-one percent of their budgets go to employee benefits.
In response, cities are cutting services, closing libraries, outsourcing police and fire to counties. And, where they can, raising taxes and fees. But isn’t it time to address the underlying problem? Cadillac pension plans, retirements at 50, defined benefit plans at 90 percent of salary? Even Greece and France recognize that doesn’t work.
No one wants to take on the powerful public employee unions, but it’s time.
To hear the audio: http://townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=11&ContentGuid=20cdb961-8586-47d3-a12f-e61be85db8df
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David Davenport
Don’t Duck the Hard Issues (Townhall.com) February 9, 2011
Posted by daviddavenport in Radio Commentaries.trackback
With several cities and states on the verge of insolvency there are finally, serious discussions about cutting
Courtesy of Townhall.com
government budgets. But there is little talk about one of the biggest problems: public employee benefits and pensions.
As one example, cities in my county now spend three times as much on employee benefits as they did a decade ago. Twenty-one percent of their budgets go to employee benefits.
In response, cities are cutting services, closing libraries, outsourcing police and fire to counties. And, where they can, raising taxes and fees. But isn’t it time to address the underlying problem? Cadillac pension plans, retirements at 50, defined benefit plans at 90 percent of salary? Even Greece and France recognize that doesn’t work.
No one wants to take on the powerful public employee unions, but it’s time.
To hear the audio: http://townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=11&ContentGuid=20cdb961-8586-47d3-a12f-e61be85db8df
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