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Monday, July 2, 2012

Walker to go after state Pension Plan: "I am currently not planning...However....."

No one is really so neive that they would think Scott Walker would want to leave the state pension plan alone?
jsonline: A report Monday gave Gov. Scott Walker and lawmakers this advice for keeping Wisconsin's $77 billion pension fund strong: Leave it alone.

Immediately, Walker said he was taking that advice: "I want to be very clear: I am currently not planning to make any substantial changes to the WRS. However, I will continue to work to ensure that the WRS is fiscally sustainable for both taxpayers and retirees."
Anybody think that sounds like he’s going to “leave it alone?” From WKOW: 



What’s at stake for workers: 
The report comes as some states facing financial challenges have moved away from traditional pensions, which guarantee a certain retirement level to employees, to models more like the 401(k) plans offered by private businesses, in which employers contribute to an investment plan for employees but don't guarantee results. 

Moving to an optional defined contribution plan would have the advantage for workers of being portable if they moved to jobs in the private sector and would give them more say over how their money is invested. But the report noted that defined benefit plans are better for the great majority of workers because assets in retirement funds are pooled and professionally managed.
Ah, so that’s why Republicans want to do away with defined benefits
 plans…who needs guarantees? 

3 comments:

  1. John- I assume you mean "defined benefit" plans in that final sentence, as that's the current pension plan.

    And yes, when Walker uses the weasel words "not CURRENTLY looking to change", it means he sure as hell wants to the first chance he gets. If we had a Dem Party with balls in this state, they'd be saying "WisGOP wants to steal and sell off your pensions" for the next 4 years. And scarily, they'd probably be right.

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  2. Please define definedJuly 2, 2012 at 6:09 PM

    The WRS is not a defined pension. When the stock market plunges like it did in 08 under Bush the pension payouts were significant reduced. Clearly undefined monthly payments.

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  3. Walker never gives real answers to anything. I think a post dedicated to his half ass responses needs to happen.

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