Thursday, November 06, 2008

Vince Jericho hosted pension discussion with pension board members

Local KSGF radio host Vincent David Jericho hosted a discussion about the Police and Firefighters' Pension System this morning.

Assistant Fire Chief and Firefighter representative to the Pension board David Hall; Ron Hoffman, appointed citizen representative of the board and longest serving member and; Ken Homan, retiree representative of the board, were on hand to give their experienced and knowledgeable input.

It's well worth a listen if you are interested in the pension plan issue.

I'd also like to remind you that there will be a 7 p.m. presentation of the proposed solution to the pension plan given by City Manager Greg Burris tonight at Big Momma's Coffee and Espresso Bar. The Missouri Liberty Coalition has scheduled the meeting and wants the public to know they are welcome! Get details here or here.

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2 comments:

Jim Hornaday said...

I attended the Nov. 6th meeting at Big Momma's, and listened to everything Mr. Burris had to say about the city's forthcoming 1% sales tax increase proposal.

In that meeting, he promised there would be a shadow limitation on council proposing any new taxes until the pension deficit was made up. He also promised that UP TO 10 million dollars from any telephone tax settlement would be put in the pension fund deficit.

Today, I read the language of the tax proposal that will be presented to Council on the 10th of this month. NO mention of shadow tax limitation or any telephone tax settlement being proposed for the pension deficit.

Mr. Burris made a very persuasive pitch to the group. He sounded like he Council were intending to put some limitations on what the citizens of Springfield are being asked to approve for a tax increase. However, if the proposal language doesn't cover what he said would be in the proposal, I have serious doubts as to our government's integrity.

Will the REAL tax proposal contain the items promised by Mr. Burris? If the proposal is lacking, we must suspect that Mr. Burris and the members of City Council have intentions of continuing their profligate ways, and will continue to waste taxpayers money on non-essential items.

Jackie Melton said...

Mr. Hornaday,

Not to argue with you but I think you may be confusing a statement made by Councilman Burlison with Mr. Burris' comments.

Councilman Burlison had proposed a shadow limitation on the city (or council) asking no other tax initiatives be placed on the ballot during and for a period of time after the pension sales tax would expire (or sunset) in a recent statement on city priorities, however, I don't recall Mr. Burris making any promise in that regard.

The city, according to the city attorney, is limited by state law in what sort of things they can include in the ballot language.