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Public pension crisis foretold for Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | August 24, 2009 | Brad Bumsted

Posted on 08/24/2009 1:34:16 PM PDT by buzzyboop

When it comes to municipal pension plans, Pennsylvania is king.

Pennsylvania has four times more pension funds than any other state, and more than one-fourth of all the municipal pension plans in the country, according to the Public Employee Retirement Commission, an agency that advises the Legislature on pension issues and oversees the soundness of local plans. The number of local plans is growing by about 30 a year.

Most of the 3,100 retirement systems, for police, firefighters or nonuniformed workers, are small. That's costly for members and taxpayers. Of 2,462 that reported administrative expenses, the cost was $36 million, or $509 annually per member.

The cost per member is $1,519 for administrative expenses for plans with fewer than 10 members, the retirement commission says, and 67 percent of Pennsylvania's local pension systems are that small.

(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: municipalities; pennsylvania; pensions
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1 posted on 08/24/2009 1:34:16 PM PDT by buzzyboop
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To: buzzyboop

don’t worry there’s an app for that.

They will soon all be nationalized and folded into Social Security


2 posted on 08/24/2009 1:35:59 PM PDT by GeronL (Toward the TOTUS State-Nightmare in Obamaland .. http://tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com)
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To: buzzyboop

Parade Of The Incompetent


3 posted on 08/24/2009 1:45:27 PM PDT by Psycho_Bunny (ALSO SPRACH ZEROTHUSTRA)
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To: buzzyboop

....same thing here in North Carolina....our state treasurer has warned legislature that the coming tsunami of retirees bebefits cannot be funded.


4 posted on 08/24/2009 1:45:38 PM PDT by STONEWALLS
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To: GeronL
Pittsburgh has been ruled by Democrat politicians since the 1930's. Most likely, the boy mayor will automatically be reelected this year because he has a "D" after his name.

There is an Independent candidate running who actually has some good ideas like putting public employees on a payroll and pension scale comparable to the local private sector market, limiting their growth to the growth in the city's population (which is still shrinking) and replacing new retirees, where practical, with part-time workers.

He will probably do about as well as all the Republicans before him.

Despite it all, Pittsburgh always finds plenty of money to host boondoggles like the G-20 summit.

5 posted on 08/24/2009 1:46:46 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: STONEWALLS

I have a feeling this is the way it is in mostly all states.


6 posted on 08/24/2009 1:52:23 PM PDT by Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid! (Obama, the first ever 3 in a half year, lame duck TOTUS)
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To: Vigilanteman

Is Pittsburgh the city still broke?


7 posted on 08/24/2009 1:53:10 PM PDT by Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid! (Obama, the first ever 3 in a half year, lame duck TOTUS)
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To: NoObamaFightForConservatives

With pension liabilities fully 28% funded? Nah, Pittsburgh is in great financial shape! < / sarcasm >


8 posted on 08/24/2009 1:56:41 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: Vigilanteman

I thought maybe the superbowl win and the local mob got the city out of the red long enough to fund themselves but screw all others.


9 posted on 08/24/2009 2:01:09 PM PDT by Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid! (Obama, the first ever 3 in a half year, lame duck TOTUS)
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To: NoObamaFightForConservatives
Great sports teams (Stanley Cup as well as Super Bowl) are indicative of talented players, skilled coaches and maybe even competent management in the front office. They have no relation to how a city is doing financially, though they may give the mayor bragging rights and serve as an opiate for the hoi polli.
10 posted on 08/24/2009 2:20:20 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: STONEWALLS

I know our state has overpaid state pension benefits to keep everyone down on the farm and they are having problems.

When the babyboomers really start retiring everything will go broke.


11 posted on 08/24/2009 2:34:31 PM PDT by tiki (True Christians will not deliberately slander or misrepresent others or their beliefs)
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To: buzzyboop

This is what passes for ambition here in PA...

Get some slug Gubbermint job on the public payroll.
Then retire at age 50, live off the public dole for
the rest of your life (with premium, union-negotiated
benefits)


12 posted on 08/24/2009 2:36:22 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Owl_Eagle; brityank; Physicist; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; GOPJ; abner; baseballmom; Mo1; Ciexyz; ...

ping


13 posted on 08/24/2009 2:59:53 PM PDT by Tribune7 (I am Jim Thompson!)
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To: buzzyboop

Here in Texas we give state government retirees bonus checks when their contributions aren’t bringing the expected return, and send the bill to the taxpayers.


14 posted on 08/24/2009 3:28:49 PM PDT by LearsFool ("Thou shouldst not have been old, till thou hadst been wise.")
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To: Tribune7
Can anyone name me a well run Democrat City?
Anyone? Anyone?
15 posted on 08/24/2009 3:58:51 PM PDT by AGreatPer (Impeach Obama)
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To: buzzyboop
http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Generational-Storm-Americas-Economic/dp/0262112868

Nothing new here folks: this guy already wrote all about it.

16 posted on 08/24/2009 8:01:09 PM PDT by MSF BU (++)
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To: GeronL

Hopefully, with a considerable downsizing of their pension benefits. Wouldn’t it be some sht if folks who thought there were getting 80K were forced into a system where the max payout was 3k a month.


17 posted on 08/24/2009 8:04:08 PM PDT by MSF BU (++)
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To: MSF BU

I bet the union members will be made whole


18 posted on 08/24/2009 8:26:18 PM PDT by GeronL (Toward the TOTUS State-Nightmare in Obamaland .. http://tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com)
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To: GeronL

Perhaps from the state. There are a lot of assets (State Parks, Turnpikes, etc.) that could be sold off to make up the difference. I cannot see the federal government funding lavish pensions promised by cities and towns.


19 posted on 08/24/2009 8:28:25 PM PDT by MSF BU (++)
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To: Vigilanteman
"Despite it all, Pittsburgh always finds plenty of money to host boondoggles like the G-20 summit."

and the Stealers....don't forget the Stealers......

20 posted on 08/24/2009 9:49:10 PM PDT by cherry
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