Posted on 05/01/2010 7:57:04 PM PDT by Libloather
Mayor gets heated explaining pension changes
By Eric Stirgus
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed got heated Tuesday as he defended his efforts to reform the city’s rising pension costs.
"Enough is enough," the mayor said during a meeting with a panel he created earlier this year to study the problem.
The verbal sparring began when Lt. Jim Daws, head of the city's firefighter union, asked why the city has historically been unable to pay its employees more and provide better services. Daws feels city workers have been unfairly blamed for Atlanta's mounting pension costs, which have risen since 2001 from $55 million to $125 million, nearly one-quarter of city spending.
Reed, who took office in January, countered that the city could pay its workers more if it had not cut property taxes six times in the past decade and hadn't made changes in 2002 and 2005 that resulted in increased pension spending.
"I'm not going to take the attack for choices I did not make," the mayor said.
Daws said he was not attacking Reed.
"What I am asking is a difficult question that needs to be answered," said Daws, who is serving on the panel.
Reed and the unions differ on the mayor's plan to increase the employee vesting period for city workers from 10 years to 15 years. The unions contend Reed cannot legally change the vesting period for current workers with less than 10 years on the City Hall payroll. Reed said the move will save the city at least $8 million and prevents him from laying off any employees.
The mayor is scheduled to unveil his proposed budget Wednesday to the City Council.
William B. Hartsfield 1942 - 1962 (second through sixth terms) Democratic
Ivan Allen, Jr. 1962 - 1970 (first & second terms) Democratic
Sam Massell 1970 - 1974 Democratic
Maynard Jackson 1974 - 1982 (first & second terms) Democratic
Andrew Young 1982 - 1990 (first & second terms) Democratic
Maynard Jackson 1990 - 1994 (third term) Democratic
Bill Campbell 1994 - January 7, 2002 (first & second terms) Democratic
Shirley Franklin January 7, 2002 - January 4, 2010 (first & second terms) Democratic
Kasim Reed January 4, 2010 - present Democratic
Mayor Shirley Franklin Participates in Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s Economic Forum
Mayor Shirley Franklin was in Washington, DC today meeting with the House leadership, policy and economic experts to discuss the state of America’s economy, particularly efforts to shorten the economic slump, address the housing crisis, and grow the local and national economy.
Those in attendance at the meeting were, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, House of Representatives Financial Service Committee Chairman, Barney Frank (D-MA), Democratic Caucus Chair, Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Democrats across the nation have crapped all over themselves and are asking to use our bathtubs.
I don’t think so. They can have a cold hose.
Frigging crook and liar.
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