Kicking the pension can down the road

Once again our elected officials – excluding my legislator, state Rep. Brandon Neuman – chose to kick the can down the road.
Granted, the pension plans for state and school employees are in dire straits. But to think that the new legislation signed by Gov. Tom Wolf will reduce the burden on taxpayers is pure fantasy.
All we’ve heard for years is that we need to address the rising unfunded liability in state pensions. How in the world does this legislation address the liability? It will continue to rise well before any relief is felt by taxpayers. Each and every one of us will continue to see our school and property taxes increase substantially, without relief for elderly retirees on fixed incomes. But, hey, I guess we can sell our homes and move in with the kids, if they’ll have us.
Exempting participation by local and state police and corrections officers because “they don’t participate in the Social Security program” is pure, outright fantasy. Or, because their jobs are considerably more hazardous. What about psychiatric aides working in state institutions? What about PennDOT workers risking their lives fixing and clearing our roads? The cooks working alongside inmates or patients from work release programs? The school bus drivers responsible for the safe transportation of our children, or the ambulance attendants racing to save lives? I guess our legislators didn’t even consider the inequities of their actions.
Neuman deserves thanks for having the conviction to stand for all the taxpayers in his district, and for all state, county, municipal, and school district employees.
Barry L. Andrews
Washington
Andrews is vice president of Washington-Greene Central Labor Council.