DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OPPOSED TO PENSION TAX- HB1405

[Tom]

HOUSE REPUBLICAN PENSION TAX CLEARS SUBCOMMITTEE; DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OPPOSED



TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --- In committee Thursday night, House Democratic Caucus members voted in opposition to a Republican bill that imposes an across-the-board 5-percent tax on the salaries of participants in the Florida Retirement System, including Florida’s teachers, police and other public workers.



Democratic Caucus members warned of severe long-term negative consequences and said House Bill 1405 could damage Florida’s economy. They also said Republican budget writers ought to find other ways to help fill a more than $3-billion hole in the state budget.



There are more than 650,000 Florida Retirement System members statewide and 300,000 government retirees who participate in the FRS.



The measure, which cleared the House Government Operations Subcommittee on a party-line vote, also lengthens time police, firefighters, and other “special risk” employees must work before they can retire from 25 to 30 years, or from age 55 to age 60, whichever comes sooner. For everyone else, the retirement age would rise from age 62 to 65, or from 30 to 33 years of service.

Rep. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) is the Democratic Ranking Member on the House Government Operations Subcommittee. The panel approved the bill Thursday night on a party-line vote. During his closing remarks in opposition, Rep. Clemens described the legislation as “patently unfair” to public servants.



“We’ve been dealing with pay freezes for public employees for years and now we’re putting a 5-percent salary tax on the backs of state employees,” said Rep. Clemens. “Absolutely, this is a 5-percent pay cut. I don’t know what else you would call it but a tax.”



Clemens also said HB1405 is a “solution in search of a problem,” noting that the FRS is nearly fully funded and is considered one of the best-operating public pension systems in the nation.



Rep. Alan Williams (D-Tallahassee) another member of the subcommittee who opposed the bill, said the legislation will create a deficit in the Florida economy.



“There are 720 million reasons why we shouldn’t support this bill,” Williams said. “That’s the amount of money that will be coming out of the economy, with the 5 percent tax on the incomes of just state employees and on teachers…Members, when you talk about trying to stimulate the economy, and you go back to your districts and say: `What have I done to stimulate the economy?’ Don’t point to this bill.”



Reps. Irv Slosberg (D-Boca Raton), Dwayne Taylor (D-Daytona Beach), and Barbara Watson (D-Miami) also spoke in opposition to the bill.

The expected next hearing for the bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

5% TAX
Adding 5 more years on me until I can retire. Here I was thinking 10yrs to go until I can leave and with the stroke of a pen they are gonna strap me with 5 more years?
Insurance keeps going up.
No pay raises.
Why is it that teachers, firefighters and cops need to take the hit for the bad governing in the first place? Answer me that Rick Scott. You can fail miserably in your time as Govenor, but you still have millions that you get to retire on. The Sheriff, by law can't have his retirement touched (which I agree with. I wouldn't want his job for no amount of money), but why do I get to live like a pauper in my "silver" years due to bad governing?

Tell me again why I just don't hope and pray for a buyout? Shoulda been a firefighter. At least that way I could see what it's like to get some weekends off.

Give me a break! You are one of the mal-contents who constantly moan and groan over how bad it is here. I'm sure your top notch A+ rated azz is being courted by every agency in the state! So go already! All you people do is whine. And it invariably involves your precious "days off". jump on out in the real world and just see how you do with your pay and benefits AND DAYS OFF!! Go cry to somebody who gives a rats butt. Cuz we don't care!!

It's all about money or the lack of it. It's also about selling votes for benefit promises which were not funded because they were too expensive. Both the politicians and the unions knew this. Payroll is the biggest expense and that's the only place left to cut. When you take a government job you are at the mercy of politicians when it comes to your pay and benefits.

For all you republicans who voted for Slick Rick now enjoy whats coming.. You all cry about high taxes and all the other belly acheing about paying to much. Vote republican they will set the world straight. Cut taxs and all the other things.. Now look Corporate tax cuts that will (wink wink )bring alot of jobs and a 5% tax increase on 650000 Floridians. Not just a tax but a tax on your gross pay not your net pay. I hope you can OPT OUT of this bull and freeze what I got in. I can't afford another tax break for the RICH.

Vote for liberal Democrat politicians so that Florida can be like California, Illinois, New-Jersey, New-York, etc.

Hey genius, wasnt Arnold the Republican the governor of california the last four years when they have been in the worst shape in years.

Hey genius, Kalifornia was fiscally bankrupt many years before Arnold was elected governor. Virtually all of his proposals to balance the budget and reduce the deficit were rejected by the Democrat controlled legislature. Brown (D), the current governor, is trying to make the same painful cuts. It doesn't matter who is governor, the budget must be balanced or else the can is kicked down the road and the debt piles up. Kalifornia, Illinois, New-Jersey and New-York are textbook examples how to run a state into the ground when unions and politicians engage in backroom deals exchanging unfunded benefits for votes.