Wisconsin: GOP lawmakers put post-retirement health care benefits on the block

[Scuba]

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/steven_elbow/gop-lawmakers-put-post-retirement-health-care-benefits-on-the/article_9f4a0a71-ed76-5234-89a8-c16672939902.html

State Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt and state Sen. Leah Vukmir have introduced companion bills that would ax health care benefits after retirement for local government employees unless the local governments have fully funded the benefits' costs in a segregated account. Currently, local governments generally cover the costs on a "pay-as-you-go" basis in yearly budgets.

...

"With this change, local officials would not be able to push these costs on future budgets, thereby handcuffing future elected bodies," he said at the hearing.

State and many local employees are allowed to convert the value of unused sick days to pay for health care coverage after retirement. Both levels of government pay for those benefits through budget allocations rather than the system Thiesfeldt and Vukmir are proposing. Their bill would only apply to municipal employees.

..

Thiesfeldt does not know of any local government that has been unable to pay for the benefits.

Sounds like the same tack the Repukes took to 'bankrupt' the Post Office when it wasn't actually in financial trouble. Why do the R's hate American workers?

[TheMastersNemesis]

1. And Why Do American Workers Keep Voting For Them?

And why are so many workers Republicans?

[Scuba]

2. Because the corporate overlords bought every newspaper, TV and radio station in the State ....

... bussed in astroturfers, tried to intimidate our activists and spent a gazillion dollars convincing the uninformed that recalls were a bad idea and Walker was a savior anyway. All this long before we even finished the primary to determine who would represent our side.

Despite that edge, the recall election was close. And despite a well-organized State-wide effort to recount the vote manually, we still don't know how close because only 71 of the State's 72 Counties have provided the legally mandated access to the ballots. One large, red County remains a holdout. Can you guess which one?

[TheMastersNemesis]

3. You Would Think That Workers Had Enough Sense To Eventually Figure Out What Is Going On

[midnight]

4. Naturally some local government employees will be exempt?

[hue]

5. Lemme think: Of course the state administrative branch, ie. the governor & henchmen/women....

[midnight]

8. I wasn't quite sure who it would be, but now that you mention them-it does seem obvious... Now I'm

not a betting person, but let's recall when the time comes for this group to start doing some special exceptions nonsense....

[ewagner]

6. Okay...I get the scam...

...they don't like PEPP (Post Employment Premium Payment) sooooooo...make it too expensive to offer and the government agencies will quit offering it...that'l show those leeching, lazy, overpaid union thugs!

There is no end to wingnut creativity when it comes to screwing the working class.

[Scuba]

7. Their base loves it. Punishing the people they've been taught to hate.

[ewagner]

9. Full disclosure....

in an elected position I once questioned this program because of the extremely lucrative payouts (in lump sums) that used to be handed out. The system(s) have been changed to prevent that kind of abuse*

PEPP makes most sense in regards to protective service employees (fire and police) ...after 30 years and age 55 they are rarely capable of performing the same kind of physical activity required of the job and for their safety as well as the safety of the public, they should be allowed to retire and they need to be protected until medicare can kick in. Desk jobs are probably a bit different and PEPP should not be used for a quick out in my opinion....but...probably need to keep PEPP for all employees to maintain consistency.

*old system offered cash payout and unlimited accumulation of sick days.

[Scuba]

10. Thank you, helpful post!