Posted on 10/31/2013 1:52:38 PM PDT by matt04
Hundreds of people, many of them union members, turned out at the State House on Thursday to oppose a bill that would save the state and municipalities a significant amount of money by cutting retiree health benefits for public employees.
Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed the bill as a way to address the approximately $46 billion unfunded liability for retiree health benefits faced by state and municipal governments. Modifications to retiree health care coverage are essential to keep the system sustainable for future state and municipal career employees and to maintain core government services for future generations, said Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor.
However, public employees say the government is breaking a promise that was made when they were hired. Gail Gunn works in information services for UMass Amherst. She is 51 years old, blind and has worked for the state for 16 years. She planned to retire in five or six years, but will reconsider if the bill is passed, since the change would increase her monthly health insurance payments by $500 a month. Im not going to stand up and say its not fair. As a blind person, Im used to life not being fair, Gunn said. Its just wrong. I expect more from government.
House Bill 59 is being considered by the Joint Committee on Public Service, which held Thursdays public hearing.
(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...
>> that would save the state and municipalities a significant amount of money
But not the taxpayers...
Deval baby, if you can get the job as Hillary’s VP, I’m betting she will cut Massachusetts in on the upcoming federal bailouts for NY, Cali, and Illinois.
Reality setteth in. Now cometh Detroitification . . .
Just “Shop Around”
Who is gonna be the first to use that 1960’s song in an ad?
When the full impact hits, that will be seen as a compliment.
When will these people learn, supporting Democrats is like making a deal with the devil. Once they have you, where are you going to turn? And since you depend on them like children, they can treat you the way they want.
Well when any employer cuts medical benefits it generates more support for Obamacare which generates support for socialized medicine.
I'm a good, progressive, caring liberal who supports Obama and Obamacare and am concerned when one person makes much more money or gets more benefits than another regardless of what deals were made.
However, in my case a deal was made and if keeping my benefits where they are will hurt future employees or citizens that depend on government services well then frankly I don't give a damn.
As I understand it the MBTA carries half as much debt by itself as the whole city of Detroit.
Liberals are so fun to watch, especially when they run out of other people’s money.
I only wish we could watch them from afar...cuz their implosions are dangerous.
On well, the collapse of Taxachusetts can be considered to be a benefit to the country.
Save MIT.
As for Harvard......well, they’ve shown their standards when they let the dork into law school.
That seems like a reasonable estimate.
MBTA debt - 9b (Wikipedia)
Motown debt - 18b (NYT)
Make that a “Stupendous sum”.
Who is gonna be the first to use that 1960s song in an ad?”
Republicans should make it their theme song - but probably not smart enough to do so.
Deval baby, if you can get the job as Hillarys VP, Im betting she will cut Massachusetts in on the upcoming federal bailouts for NY, Cali, and Illinois.
I live in Maryland and I am stunned how financially good the state is. For such a liberal sess pool they sure are economically sound. We like North Dakota have an issue with trying to hire people. Never thought that a liberal state and conservative state could be in such good shape. The only thing that Maryland has WAY higher then North Dakota is that Maryland has the best schools in the country for the kids. Colleges aren’t bad either.
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing.
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