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To: John Koligman who wrote (180879)	1/31/2009 8:25:59 AM
From: jpk1	Respond to of 306849

The pensions in MA are as bad as anywhere and no one does a thing about them. bostonherald.com State pulling oldest scam in the book Margery Eagan By Margery Eagan Thursday, January 29, 2009 - Added 2d 12h ago Anti-tax czarina Barbara Anderson spent a cheerful afternoon yesterday watching the federal stimulus package debate on C-Span. “Everything’s falling apart. I could see it coming. Somehow I thought it’d happen after I was dead.” Tax watchdog Michael Widmer termed the mess we’re in “a global economic bloodbath.” But no matter how desperate things get, one constant remains here in Massachusetts. Politicians won’t do real reforms because that would tick off public employee unions. Instead , they cut teachers and slash services. Old people who fall and can’t get up? They won’t be getting up. Now, Gov. Patrick wants higher taxes on Snickers and certain fruit juices, which is why you should get to Shaw’s immediately. Gatorade’s on sale, 10 for $10. It could be your last chance! But here’s the problem. Local public employee health-care costs will still be our No. 1 budget-buster even if Snickers get taxed at $5 a chew. Have we fixed the problem? No. To push more towns into the state’s less expensive health plan, Patrick said he’d penalize those that don’t join by cutting their local aid. What he should do is allow towns to do as the state and take health care out of collective bargaining, period, and save $2.5 billion over 10 years! Next, pension reform. Patrick said Treasurer Tim Cahill would have a plan by January. It’s almost February. What’s taking so long? Some changes are obvious: No more douple-dipping or buying back sick and vacation time, a policy that allowed Boston educator Michael Contompasis - a great guy, I know - to “retire” with a $270,000 salary, plus a $147,967 sick-and-vacation time buyback, plus a $139,782 pension, plus a double-dipping add-on of $65,000 when he went back to work for Mayor Menino. No more collecting a state pension before you’re 60 or 65. That means state cops could not get a 60 percent pension after 20 years or 75 percent after 25 years. It means Jim Rooney - another great guy, I know - could not make $369,292 from the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority while simultaneously collecting a $70,00 pension from the MBTA. Amend the prevailing wage law to exclude civilian flaggers so less-costly flaggers - not detail cops - can direct traffic in cities and towns, which are broke. Our choice? Fire everybody, or ditch scams. Page: 1 2 Continue »