Public Pension Working Group in KY Suspends Meetings Until After Legislative Session Ends

WCHS News – 2/18/2019 (reprinted)

By Gil McClanahan
Click here to view the full article


The Public Pension Working Group made up of Kentucky lawmakers have suspended their meetings until after General Assembly session ends. (COURTESY: KY Educational Television)

FRANKFORT, Ky (WCHS/WVAH) — The Public Pension Working Group, the bi-partisan group of Kentucky lawmakers charged with finding solutions to the state’s troubled pension system has suspended its meetings until after the legislative session ends.

The group met twice a week at the state capital.

“It still seems to think that it’s all about it has to be redone, and when you say redone it always inevitably goes back to the teachers,” said Merry Berry, President of the Eastern Kentucky Education Association.

She’s getting close to retirement , but worries about her pension because she says there are mixed signals coming from state government on the pension problems.

“Depending on which study you listen to or you read about it depends on who you listen to. It’s kind of scary. We’re left in limbo,” said Berry.

“People have been scared because of the pension issue,” said Senator Johnny Ray Turner, D-Prestonsburg, a member of the Public Pension Working Group. He says there may have to be a special session to consider any pension reform bill.

“I think this short session I don’t think there’s enough time to come up with a solution and this is not a budget year so it is going to be hard to come up with funding we would probably have to put a mechanism in place to fund it next budget session,” said Senator Turner.

“Not pass it this session, but have an agreement ready where we can come back and urge the governor to call us into special session and pass the bill in five days,” said Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, who is also a member of the Public Pension Working Group.

He says the disagreement among the group is how far they need to go to fix the pension problems. The group is expected to continue their meetings after the session ends.

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