Retired Pose For the difficult choice: it will cost millions

 

Friday, Mar 27,2009, 2:10:36 PM   Click:

Copyright: The State, Columbia, s.c.
Source: State, The (Columbia, SC)
Wordcount: 542


Mar. 26 - On paper, it is an easy decision for members of Columbia City Council: management of retired employees of their health insurance premiums or losing $ 96 million in taxpayers' money.

But it is more difficult to do when these figures have a face - including a face like Joe King.

King came to the Wednesday City Council meeting, the oxygen tank trailer, asking advice from its members not to pay insurance premiums for his health.

"Try to understand the time to find the money to be able to retire is very difficult," said King, who retired last September after being diagnosed with a lung infection. "They had to make some changes . I just want to take into consideration the individual. "

King was one of about 100 current and former city employees - mostly firefighters - who showed up unannounced at the board meeting Wednesday to protest against the proposed changes to health. The city intends to require retirees to pay premiums for the first time. Employees will begin paying premiums July 1

If the city does not change, it will have to account for as much as $ 96 million in pension benefits to health. New national accounting standards require the city to put money aside each year to cover this cost.

This exercise, which ends June 30 city taxpayers would have to set aside $ 10 million. If the city does not provide that money aside, the costs will be carried over to next year, the cost plus 5 per cent interest.

"Everyone of you who have retired and given your life to the city, we understand," said Mayor Bob Coble firefighters. "But we are dealing with issues that compel us to do something."


The firefighters, most of burly men with arms, stands against the back wall of City Hall to make their presence felt by counsel in their opinion, has not communicated with them.

"The rumor and anger has been festering since we do not know," said Anthony Holloway, secretary of the Association of Columbia firefighters.

Council members have apologized and then took a closed meeting to discuss the health benefits of retirees. Coble and Tameike Councilor Isaac Devine said board members wanted a legal opinion on what, in any case, employees were promised about health insurance when they retire.

On the cover of the employee handbook of Colombia, are in bold letters that say: "not a contract." But many employees, who for years have witnessed the city has sponsored seminars on retirement planning, said they were free health insurance promised once they retired.

Holloway allusion firefighters consider a lawsuit if the city decides to make changes, but that nothing had been decided.

"We need to court in May to decide whether it's legal, but we know that it is immoral," he said.

The city of Greenville made a similar change to its pensioners, health and faces a trial of 15 former police officers. The officers argue that because of the health of the city promises to care, they do not have to purchase additional health insurance when they were eligible, according to the media.

This is an argument of several firefighters from Colombia made to Council members Wednesday.

Retired firefighter John Reich said municipal officials are often the firefighters say they think about retirement when they were denied merit increases during their careers.

"This health care is a carrot," he said.

Beam reach (803) 771-8405.