Not referring to current debt owed by the city to pension funds [[that will end up however court settles it), I think the entire notion of benefits should be changed. The city should pay it's contribution to an employee's retirement and health care on an ongoing basis, while that person works for the city. Something like a 401K contribution, matching up to a certain amount, that the employee puts in. "Legacy" costs should not be incurred going forward. At the end of a fiscal year, all costs associated with the work done by city employees that year should be paid. Today's labor dollars should go to today's workers [[even if in the form of retirement or medical savings accounts). This would cause people to have a better handle on their money [[because they could monitor what was in an account, not just expect an arbitrary fixed payment to start on a given date). It would also prevent a growing/shrinking tax base from having to shoulder an unsustainable burden. Lastly, it would prevent people with multiple governmental careers from collecting outsized or duplicative pensions. Your money would be tied directly to what you paid in. Didn't put much in, don't get much out. And all "senior officials" and politicians would get the exact same deal as the rank and file. No more Turkia Mullins or people who collect full pensions for several different jobs they held over the years.
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