"Washington just became the first state in U.S. history to terminate a public employee pension plan." "I sacrificed my body and a good chunk of my life for our state, they committed to providing a benefit for me and raided it."

x.com ^ | May 6, 2026 | Shane Kidwell @shanerkidwell

[ransomnote]

Shane Kidwell
@shanerkidwell
·
5h
Washington just became the first state in U.S. history to terminate a public employee pension plan.

The plan belongs to retired police officers and firefighters. LEOFF Plan 1 was 160% funded as of June 2024 per the state's own actuarial valuation. It had not required a single contribution in 25 years. By 2029 it was projected to reach 200% funded with a $4.3 billion surplus.

The legislature terminated the plan, swept $3.9 billion, and is using $880 million of it to refill a rainy day fund it already drained to cover a deficit it created.

Days ago, retired first responders including former Congressman Dave Reichert sued the state to stop it. The bill passed the House 55-39 and was advanced out of Appropriations without a public hearing. Every yes vote was a Democrat. The governor signed it in April.

I publish the full research and sourced breakdowns on Substack every week. Search Shane Kidwell if you want the deeper dive.

I sacrificed my body and a good chunk of my life for our state, they committed to providing a benefit for me and raided it.

@GovBobFerguson

@komonews

@KIRO7Seattle

@KING5Seattle

@fox13seattle

@seattletimes

---

TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: democrats; misleadingtitle; pension; retirement; theft

[reasonisfaith]

This illustrates one of the many reasons why communists don’t know why they’re communist.

[cymbeline]

“The state stopped pension payments”

I can see a State terminating a pension plan for new employees, but I can’t see cutting off pensions or taking away the contributions of working members.

[Leaning Right]

> Why is this not a breach of contract? <

It’s amazing - and not in a good way - what a state can do. A friend of mine has a teacher’s license that was good for life (after a two-year probationary period, and then no felonious behavior).

Then the state said nope, everyone’s license is only good for five years. It can only be renewed by taking nonsensical, woke educational classes.

No one was grandfathered in.

Now good news: The classes are online. So sip on your favorite beverage, and just answer the way they want you to.

Repeat every five years.

[ConservativeMind]

Let’s watch California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois follow.

I can’t wait. Liberalism on display.

[Wuli]

You would think the defining law(s) that would establish whether or not the LEOFF pension fund can be “raided” like the Dims want to would be the law(s) of the state that set up the pension plan and defined its legal framework. Yet, laws can be modified by newer legislation, including laws regarding state backed pensions, so maybe the new legislation is Constitutional.

The state is going to argue the fund is not only still solvent and will remain so but even after the fund gives up about $4 billion in reserves to the state it will still be more than 100% fully funded.

The plaintiffs will argue no one knows the future of the funds underlying investments and even being 120% fully funded does not insure some financial calamity will take the reserves below 100% of full funding.

It is a bit odd that that fund is now about 200% fully funded. Many pension systems run by state governments are often under funded.

[dfwgator]

“You f’d up, you trusted us!’

[Mariner]

It’s difficult to sympathize with public employees that retires at 50 years old and 100% of the average of their last 3 years pay.

And 100% medical and dental for life, free of charge.

[NavyShoe]

Dino Rossi was robbed of the governorship..

[goodnesswins]

Are they going to send checks to each retireeq?

[MtnClimber]

When you work for thieves, what do you expect?

[SJackson]

Not condoning it, but the “article” is a bit deceptive. The plan being terminated covers only officers hired before 1977, obviously all now retired. The state is removing the overfunding of the plan but guarantees the pension payments. How isn’t clear, if it’s by the state I’d prefer a 200% funded pension plan. However this has been done by numerous corporations. Often purchasing life annuities for participants matching benefits to be done with the obsolete plan, but the guarantee could be from the state or assets retained in the plan.

[johniegrad]

I can see a State terminating a pension plan for new employees, but I can’t see cutting off pensions or taking away the contributions of working members.

Agreed. There has to be more to this story.

[mass55th]

"And 100% medical and dental for life, free of charge."

You seem to like to lump all public employees in one pile. I was a public employee for NY State. Retired with 33 years of service. I don't get medical for free. I pay for Medicare and my State health plan every month. I haven't had dental or vision care coverage since I retired in 2003, because it was part of the union contract, and since I no longer belonged to a union, I wasn't qualified for it. I never paid a penny for dental or vision care since then. I pay out of my own pocket for any dental work or eye exams and glasses I've had over the past 23 years. I have co-pays for medical and prescriptions.

[meyer]

If the employees have vested benefits, which they may or may not, then they have full legal right to be made whole from the state.

This is why governments should be made to follow the same pension requirements that private industry must follow. Fully funded and independently run.

Incidentally, TVA, a federal agency, has for years been way behind in funding of its pension system which is separate from the civil service pension. They fund a little here and there, but they haven’t had to meet the requirements that other utilities like Georgia Power and Louisville Gas & Electric are held to.

[meyer]

Rope can be re-used.

[Hot Tabasco]

I'm unclear on what the problem is. Did the state terminate the state funded pension plan, or, merely the state match contributory portion?

If it's the state matched portion, I have no problem with that.

Find yourself a personal 401K and start investing in that.

When my company went thru hard times, that's what they did. My pension was secured under ERISA laws.....

[fruser1]

A bit more to it.

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/2034-S2.PL.pdf?q=20260506123943

Defined benefit plans pay their benefit and that's it. Any surplus can be reallocated.

Unlike your 401k which, if it skyrockets to unbelievable proportions, you get to keep all you earned.

Not so for defined benefit plans.

[Michael.SF.]

The way I read it is they are not "ending" the plan, but rather are robbing it of funding over a 110% threshold.

Currently the 3.9 Billon represents the amount over that threshold.

This will be thrown out by the courts, IMHO. If it applied to all state employees, it might have a better chance in court.

[Mariner]

Cops and Fire Fighters don’t have it as tough as you:}

[MayflowerMadam]

Yikes! I’m in CA pension plan. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s in danger, too