"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson

Monday, August 31, 2009

Hold Onto Your Wallets

There is no will in local governments to cut spending, so the projected pension increases that are being predicted are likely to cost you more in the form of property or sales tax. It is easier to take credit for things government spends money on than expend political capital and articulate spending cuts.

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle covers the issue in;

New York state pension costs soar

Here are some highlights:
  • local governments will have to increase contributions to the state pension system from 7.4 percent of their total payroll in 2010 to more than 11.5 percent in 2011.
  • pensions for police and fire departments, local governments will be required to increase their contribution rates from 15.1 percent to at least 18.4 percent
  • cities say they would have to raise property taxes by 10 percent in 2011 just to cover the soaring pension costs.
Can New Yorker's continue to afford a defined benefit program versus a defined contribution plan which is what most employers offer?

Time will tell, because you can all but be certain spending will not be cut.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's all because of George Bush. He's the one who made the State of NY grant pension benefits like this. He is also the one who made us spend so much on welfare and education. He also had a hand in keeping fees high and the Thruway tolls in effect long after the govment promised to phase them out. I think it's disgraceful for PIV to rant about this kind of thing. Just keep a spendin' just a little bit longer. Vote Donkey.


Idiots. I'll tell you where to mail the check.

Anonymous said...

But there were years that the Stock Market did well, Municpalities paid NOTHING into the plan, the other mistake that was made by the PATAKI Adminstration was doing away with contribuating by the employee after ten years.

Anonymous said...

I REALLY hope that even though PIV is running unopposed, someone does a write-in candidacy, that will wipe that A$@hole off the map. PIV doesn't deserve to be a Garbageman, no offense to the Garbagemen!!!!!

Anonymous said...

californiacation here we come.The right nut just has to outdo the left nut.Wait till you start getting IOUs I won't laugh I promise.

Anonymous said...

Of course not much was said about the Heidi award, She had a Tingleying sense that the county was cheating the "system" and they were result repayment, The other will be considered small potatoes. Money is money and having an appointed Administrator is the wrong way to go.

Anonymous said...

This is all the fault of George Bush and the Republicans.

Anonymous said...

This is all the fault of George Bush and the Republicans.

Anonymous said...

Hey 10:11, you're forgetting that many of our older teachers and state employees never paid anything in to the system at all. They didn't even do the 10 year thing you speak of. Taxpayers have been idiots for a long, long time.

It's for the children. At least that's what we heard.
Bahaawaaaaaaaa.

Anonymous said...

People like to blame paterson for the state budget mess and high taxes, but it was pataki who agreed to pension sweeters while stopping state and local contributions to the pension system. This is part of the reason for the state's current fiscal crisis and skyrocketing local property taxes.
Paterson by contrast has vetoed pension sweeteners and called for the passage of tier V.

Anonymous said...

oh and iv, what have you done while a jefferson county legislator to cut government spending. Anything at all?

Anonymous said...

We liberals are failing terribly at our blame game messaging. The "it's all Bush's and the Republicans fault" is good cover for us when we increase taxes and spending through the roof on middle class taxpayers but we need to make up some reasoning that sounds good enough to believe even though it might not be true.

Heck, we'll be able to raise taxes for the next 10 years and keep blaming someone else to get away with it!

We know people aren't smart and need to step up our political gamesmanship if we're going to keep our cushy government jobs, keep getting union kickbacks and payoffs and expand our ACORN voter fraud program.

Anonymous said...

Hey 6;13, Let's see when the county of Jefferson was realizing that sales tax was growing, we spent like it was never going to end, more Sheriff cars, K9's, A Boston Whaler to patrol the waterways, A Sert team, while some expenses are nice others are frivilous, and are not necessary. And true the boat was a grant item, you still have to inspect it, drive it, maintain it, etc. etc.

Anonymous said...

Save your folks, Pension costs are going UP. One has to wonder how you can have a "defined benefit plan" tied to the Stock Market?? One has to wonder how many Lawyers are drawing a pension, that served school boards, Reform? not on the State level, Just pay up.

Anonymous said...

I agree with 8:56. Just pay up, and shut up. Do you folks realize just how many connected people are depending on you to pay pension benefits, starting very soon? When your politicians said there was a hiring freeze, they lied. We just added to the numbers of employees. some media outlets told you, but you wouldn't listen. You just put the same pols back in office. Now we have lots and lots of people whose sons and daughters got themselves on the state and local payrolls who are going to retire soon. And you are going to be expected to pay. Look on the bright side. That's one reason your state legislature has held back on tax increases lately (hell, you'll believe anything), cause they knew this was coming and they care. And let me leave you with one more warm, fuzzy thought. Most all of these state, local, teachers and all, are spending much of their time in FL, NC, GA, TX, anywhere but here. They do that to avoid the taxes that YOU pay. Get to know one of them. They can say hi to your kids, the same ones who left because of the high taxes that allowed these govment types to live better than you in the first place. It'll save on your cell phone bill.

Lastly, vote for Shelly Silver and his ilk. We don't want anything to change, ever.

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