Another Republican friend of ours...

[opie]

Filler: Albany legislator takes aim at unsustainable benefits
Originally published: January 21, 2014 2:57 PM
Updated: January 21, 2014 4:37 PM
By LANE FILLER

What do you do when the solutions are obvious, but the possibility of adopting them seems tiny and distant?

You start moving toward the goals, toward fixing the trouble, anyway.

That's what Assemb. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) is doing with a new bill that addresses some of our toughest problems.

One problem is the increasing burden on municipal budgets caused by the spiraling costs of health care and pension benefits.

Another is the legally untouchable automatic raises for some public employees that continue even when contracts expire.

A third is the arbitrators' awards of pay increases higher and benefit contributions lower than are sustainable.


These are the real "unfunded mandates" making it so difficult for governments and districts across New York to stay within their budgets. The issue has been brought to a head by the state's 2 percent tax cap.

Now, one of three things can happen. Districts and municipalities can try to pass larger tax increases, which is very unpopular with voters; schools and governments can cut services; or major changes can be implemented.

The big aspects of Fitzpatrick's bill are to:

Rewrite the Triborough Amendment, which says work conditions of public employees may not be altered when their contracts run out, to limit the unalterable items to pay, health care benefits and vacations. Under Fitzpatrick's bill, automatic annual raises many public employees get even when working without a contract would no longer be a "work condition." Currently, those who get these automatic raises have little incentive to agree to new contracts that pinch generous benefits or don't promise ample (additional) pay increases.

Limit retirement eligibility for police officers and firefighters to those with 25 years experience who are at least age 50. The rule is generally 20 years of service, with no age limit.

Allow state and local employees to leave the state pension system and join a 401(k)-style defined contribution retirement plan. This was proposed last year but killed by the unions, which care less about employees who might want this portable retirement option than about maintaining their organizations' power.

Limit binding arbitration pay increases to 2 percent per year. The purpose of this is not necessarily to limit raises to 2 percent, but to encourage negotiated rather than arbitrated contracts.

Create a defined-contribution pension plan that replaces the pension for all newly hired and elected public employees. It's smart of Fitzpatrick to include himself and other elected officials.

These things need to be done. Given the tremendous power of public employee unions in New York, both at the voting booth and through political contributions, achieving them seems unthinkable.

But big things can change. A property-tax cap once seemed unthinkable. A Medicaid spending cap once seemed unthinkable. Same-sex marriage and equal rights for minorities and women once did, too.

Working to support Fitzpatrick's bill are former Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, who has founded the Center for Cost Effective Government, and taxpayer advocate Andrea Vecchio, with East Islip TaxPAC. The three are holding a rally on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the state Legislative Office Building in Albany.

The status quo cannot be maintained. Implementing the solutions seems like such a distant dream. And all we can do is start walking.

Lane Filler is a member of the Newsday editorial board.

[lost]

Republicans at their finest

[doughnut]

Fine but make sure we are given the option to strike, I'll be the first to laugh at these assholes when no one shows up for work. However that is a pipe dream as we can't even organize here, let alone statewide.

[overthecap]

Jan 22, 2014 6:39:27 GMT -5 lost said:

Republicans at their finest

Democrats are no different, just quieter and sneakier.

Time to re-invent the wheel. This one has a few spokes holding it together.

The only supporters and friends you have is each other, the other unions, their families, and most retirees.

GL

[opie]

I think this politician should be the first to give up his pension and benefits.

No one ever talks about the goods they get and reducing their benefits to save the taxpayer.

[since86]

Why doesn't Lane ask Steve Levy why the Suffolk county DA investigated him? And why did Levy agree to get out of politics at the end of this investigation without anyone knowing what the investigation was about?? I bet it was more serious than Levy was rude to someone...

[overthecap]

Thanks George

This is a good thread to post that on. Hope you don't mind.

NANCY'S JET IS GONE
It's Gone, gone, gone... never to return. Well, looks like the old broad of the House will have to pay her own way back and forth to California (mexifornia). The Air Force took her jet away from her. Read the article below. USAF TOOK NANCY 'S JET AWAY

The real reason that Nancy Pelosi is considering retiring is that they took her Jet away. Ah, poor baby! As a result of a Judicial Watch filing under the Freedom of Information Act, the USAF released documents detailing House Speaker Pelosi's use of United States Air Force aircraft between March 2009 and June 2010. The data are published in the Judicial Watch Verdict of December 2010, Volume 16, Issue 12. Here are the main highlights revealed by the USAF. Keep in mind that all the data below relate to United States Air Force aircraft used by one woman over a sixteen month period.

Several of these flights included Ms. Pelosi's guests, such as grown children, grandchildren, various in-laws, friends and hangers-on. Over 95% of the trips were between the west coast and Washington DC , for what you might call a commute between home and the office. READ it and WEEP!!

Total trips: 85 over a 68 week period, or 1.25 average trips per week. Total mileage: 206,264 miles, or 2,427 average miles per trip. Total flying time: 428.6 hours, or an average of 5 hours per trip. Cost to the taxpayers: $2,100,744, or $27,715 per trip, or $1,285,162 per year! Cost of in flight food and alcohol: $101,429; $1,193 per trip; $62,051 per year. On one junket to Baghdad , according to the Air Force report, she had the aircraft bar stocked with Johnny Walker Red Scotch, Grey Goose Vodka, E&J Brandy, Bailey's Irish Cream, Maker's Mark Whiskey, Courvoisier Cognac, Bacardi Rum, Jim Beam Whiskey, Beefeater Gin, Dewar's Scotch, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Jack Daniels Whiskey, Corona Beer and several varieties of wine. This was obviously a very important "gubment bidness" trip. Evidence generally speaks for itself, and in Ms. Pelosi's case it speaks the language of abuse and (evidently) a serious familial drinking problem, for in a single year she and her spawn drank an amount in excess of the net income of the average employed American! When she said, "... If the stimulus doesn't pass, five hundred million people might lose their jobs...", I thought she was unintentionally revealing her ignorance. I'm now more inclined to think she was pickled. Even though she can no longer abuse the USAF, she can either fly on her broom, or fly Southwest Airlines, where bags fly free. If you are an AMERICAN citizen it is YOUR DUTY to PASS THIS ON... Because, you won't see this reported on MSNBC, or ANY Liberal mis-INFORMATION Station . Backup Proof Below:

www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-uncovers-new-documents-detailing-pelosis-use-air-force-aircraft/