Do as I Say

[30ashopper]

Legislators have warned that employee contributions to their plans were likely to be part of any pension reform package, but other parts of Scott?s plan, like ending the Deferred Retirement Option Program, or DROP, reducing the annual service credit and phasing out the cost of living adjustment, have not been a central part of pension talks in committees.

Scott?s plan would close the DROP to all employees on or after July 1. The DROP program has come under biting criticism in recent years as some employees used it to ?double dip,? or receive a pension benefit and a salary at the same time.

Bob, have you been double dippin'? :roll:

 

[Andy A]

This is a tricky situation because there are different types of state run pension plans, some of which are more equal to the private sector than others.

Bob's grandiose proclamations obscure the important details.

I'd like to see a comparison of state employee pay (including base pay, benefit costs, and future pension payments and benefits based on expected payout time periods) broken down by our state's different pension plans compared with payment and benefit plans available in similar positions in the private sector.

Great suggestion but I'm not into doing the reseach. I would suggest that other states and their equal classifications be included as well.
My wife and I are both retired Oklahoma state employees and we paid into our retirement fund. I don't remember exactly how much it was but 10% of our pay comes to mind. The teachers had a separate retirement plan.
Our retirement did not go into a "government slush fund", its monies were administered by a board of state employees and was invested in various mutual funds and bonds and did very well until the financial meltdown of 2007. As of now, it is my understanding all state pension funds are hurting but if Oklahoma maintained what they were doing, they should be recovering quite nicely. I no longer follow the administration of the retirement funds as I once did, I only cash the checks.

 

[Bob]

Bob, have you been double dippin'? :roll:

i have no pension

 

[Bob]

read: took low paying jobs for the benefits. Florida's pension fund is in good shape. if you want to take 5 percent for the pension fund, make up for the 5 years with no raises and level the playing field. the workers are not the pariahs here. these proposals are coming from a corporate thief who spent 70 plus million dollars of his own money to get his jollies destroying public education.

 

[30ashopper]

read: took low paying jobs for the benefits. Florida's pension fund is in good shape. if you want to take 5 percent for the pension fund, make up for the 5 years with no raises and level the playing field. the workers are not the pariahs here. these proposals are coming from a corporate thief who spent 70 plus million dollars of his own money to get his jollies destroying public education.

This has nothing to do with the workers. Pension system that have guaranteed lifetime benefits are bad fiscal policy for various reasons. It's the same problem with all of our retirement systems these days. I'd like to see this FIXED where it can be fixed. Pay state employees what they are worth and give them a 50% matching 401K for retirement savings. Problem solved - no can left to kick.

 

[GoodWitch58]

read: took low paying jobs for the benefits. Florida's pension fund is in good shape. if you want to take 5 percent for the pension fund, make up for the 5 years with no raises and level the playing field. the workers are not the pariahs here. these proposals are coming from a corporate thief who spent 70 plus million dollars of his own money to get his jollies destroying public education.

I find it fascinating that he spent this much of his own money and Alex Sink only spent $11 million; and yet, the margin between their votes is minimal:Report: Scott campaign spent $79M; Jacksonville consultant paid $254K | jacksonville.com

His campaign spent $62.3 million, and Scott's political action committee, Let's Get to Work, chipped in another $17 million.



Scott loaned his campaign $60.3 million, and expenditure reports show he repaid himself $65,474 on Monday

Alex Sink, Scott's opponent in the general election, spent $11.4 million. That number includes money spent from her campaign account, and a political action committee.

The outcome in the race: Scott 48.9 percent and Sink 47.7 percent

 

[scooterbug44]

read: took low paying jobs for the benefits. Florida's pension fund is in good shape. if you want to take 5 percent for the pension fund, make up for the 5 years with no raises and level the playing field. the workers are not the pariahs here. these proposals are coming from a corporate thief who spent 70 plus million dollars of his own money to get his jollies destroying public education.

I didn't say the workers were pariahs, I said the system was in need of reform and the budget and excess/abuses were reasons why.

Why should Florida be the ONLY state where public employees do not contribute to their pensions?

Why should taxpayers foot the bill for 15% or more of elected city and county officials, judges, and cabinet members salaries to go to their pensions each year?

Why should everyone but you be required to make sacrifices to get our country, state, and budget back on track?

 

[DuneAHH]

IMO, the amount of money that BOTH Scott and Sink spent on the campaign is offensive. Less appalling = still appalling.

 

[30ashopper]

I find it fascinating that he spent this much of his own money and Alex Sink only spent $11 million; and yet, the margin between their votes is minimal:Report: Scott campaign spent $79M; Jacksonville consultant paid $254K | jacksonville.com

Congressional democrats and their special interests spent more on the last election than republicans, they still lost seats. I'd say this and outcomes like Scott/Sink the California races prove money spent doesn't equate to more votes. It's more about the mood of the country than anything else.

Democrats were headed for major losses in this last election. Scott rode in on the anti-establishment wave. Kudos to him for picking the right time to enter politics.

 

[GoodWitch58]

That's my point:

$79.3 million equals 48.9% of the vote

$11.4 million equals 47.75 of the votes

a difference of 1.2%, but a difference of $67.9 million !

Interesting.