The main reason the demonization of public unions has hit a fever pitch...

[WCGreen]

for the past ten years or so, many states and local entities have been playing fast games with their budgets.

Now as everyone should know, only the federal government can run a budget deficit. All other governmental entities must be in balance.

In order to do this, governors and legislators across the country have been delaying required matching contributions into pension funds.

Now that the economy has hit the skids and projected tax inflows are not matching real tax inflows, they have to cut.

One of the easiest things to do is demonize the Public Unions, discredit them, fire a whole mess of people who are not vested in the pension plan yet and so those moneys supposedly set aside for future matching funds suddenly no longer exist and so that plugs a hole in the state budget.

[lib2DaBone]

1. If people went back to work.. tax collections would go up again...

the Rocket Scientists in CONgress haven't figured this out yet.. hasn't even crossed their minds..

[WCGreen]

2. well, they spent the money that could have been borrowed to

energize the economy on middle east wars...

[mtnester]

3. If they withheld that money, in Ohio they would be paying penalty

let me tell you how immediate they are to call if your fiscal office has not completed their pension report on the exact date required. I am specifically referring to Ohio Police & Fire and Ohio Public Employees organizations. They call...they expect their funds...they penalize with interest.

What lots of places did NOT do is put money back to cover the buyouts of time when employees retire. THAT is stupid planning. We have a fund that we put our carry over in to cover these things...we plan for people to retire.

No one mentions the fact that I, as a public employee, contribute nearly 11% of my gross earnings toward my retirement PLUS pay medicare, as opposed to contribution to SS which is normally 6.2%, but now 4.2%....I now pay more than double the withholding.

[WCGreen]

4. No I'm talking about future money set aside before they are vested...

It's a budget item that can be taken off the books.

[mtnester]

6. I am not aware of any "future" money before vesting that

Ohio public entities are allowed to not pay on a scheduled basis as far as the pickup/matching contribution goes.

The only funds that SOME agencies do not prepare for are the retirement buyouts the public agency itself has to make of sick time, vacation time, comp time that have been earned, not taken and are being paid out (with limitations) when a person physically retires. Stupid move and their financial officer and elected officials ought to be ousted for that.

Otherwise, the "match" or pickup (more commonly referred to) and the employees deducted contribution (ranges depending on the penbsion you pay in to from 10 - 11.5%) is "due upon receipt" in Ohio. As a public agency defined in the ORC, you do not get to wait 7 years to pay it. You simply do not. Perpetuating some mythical slush fund that comes due like a balloon payment in reference to any pension contributions/withholding/payments is falling in to the Republican trap.

As a decades long employee of a defined public agency in Ohio who handlles this kind of stuff, we do not get to hold on to contributions or matching payments until a person reaches their vesting time. We..do..not..get..to..do..that.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Thank you for the clarification. I was wondering...

Recommended.

[kentuck]

7. The lottery is not robbing as much as thought from the poor people...

and they all have budget shortfalls.