Mr. Chairman and members of the Council, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to offer comments about much-needed reforms to the pension plan now enjoyed by our elected officials.
I’m please to see you take action to reform pension plans, which are far too generous and out of touch with those offered to federal and state servants. As they stand now, Baltimore County citizens will be liable for large pension expenses long after most of you leave office next year or in 2014. It is fiscally irresponsible for elected officials to burden taxpayers with substantial pension liabilities along with lucrative health plan benefits you continue to enjoy after office.
As you combine language from both bills, I urge you to consider the following:
1) Elected county officials should be afforded a defined contribution plan, not a defined benefit plan. I hope you omit long-term liabilities for taxpayers and remove the risk associated with stock market fluctuations and annual cost of living increases. Recommend a defined contribution plan for elected officials include up to a 10% match by Baltimore County into a 401(k) or 457(b) managed funds such as American Funds, Oppenheimer Funds, etc.
2) If a defined benefit plan is to be continued, limit all elected officials in Baltimore County to a 40% pension plan where members accumulate just 2% for every year in office. Even a 60% cap, which is now proposed, is too excessive, unfair to full-time county employees, and fiscally irresponsible.
3) Pensioners should not be permitted to draw funds until their 60th birthday or when their service ends, whichever is later.
4) The base pay of a defined benefit pension plan should be an average of the last 36 months salary.
5) Provisions should be included to ensure that no official ever draws more than one pension from any elected position or service in a federal, state, or local government capacity. If a pensioner goes on to higher officer, then the county pension, if not as attractive, should be stopped with no further compensation or reimbursement provided.
6) Finally, county pensions and previous contributions should be forfeited if an official is convicted, elects probation before judgment, or resigns due to misconduct associated with performing the duties of his or her office.
It is important that you do what is in the best interest of all Baltimore County citizens, not what is best for those elected officials who come after you.
Very respectfully,
S. D. WHISLER
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Hear Hear!
Steve,
Thanks for taking the time to represent the county citizens on this matter. Institutionally, I am not sure that the incumbent majority will offer up anything other than a delay. They were ‘caught’ with their hands in the cookie jar and in better times, this may have gone undetected.
We need new blood, new vision in Towson, Annapolis and Washington…NOW, in order to preserve the future.
Dave
Thank you for speaking to the Council on this, Steve! It’s about time someone did!