MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
| Intro: | Missouri Senators passed a bill that takes away retirement benefits for new state employees. |
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| RunTime: | 0:38 |
| OutCue: | SOC |
Wrap: Starting January 1st, new state employees would pay four percent of their salaries into pension funds.
It would also raise the retirement age to 67 and require 10 years of service.
Washington Republican Senator John Griesheimer says the current system is too expensive.
| Actuality: | GRIES.WAV |
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| Run Time: | 00:12 |
| Description: "It's hard to take away benefits or to change the system like what we have now for new employees. The bottom line is, as everybody knows, we just can't afford our current retirement fund." | |
Taxpayers currently pay for the retirement pensions of state employees over 62 years old.
The bill faces another vote when it reaches the House.
From the State Capitol, I'm Nick Berry.
| Intro: | The Senate passed a bill that makes Missouri's new state employees pay into their own retirement funds. |
|---|---|
| RunTime: | 0:40 |
| OutCue: | SOC |
Wrap: The bill says employees who begin work for the government next year would pay four percent of their salaries to pension funds.
The bill would increase the age before employees can collect retirement from 62 to 67.
Senate Pro Tem Charlie Shields countered against a system that locks people into state jobs for decades.
| Actuality: | SHIELDS1.WAV |
|---|---|
| Run Time: | 00:09 |
| Description: "To sit there and say that we could continue on this system where we trap people in and ask them to become state employees and if you just hang on for 30 years you're gonna get a great benefit out of the deal." | |
Despite Shields' concerns, Senators agreed this was the first step towards making public retirement more like private options.
The bill still faces another vote by the Missouri House.
From the State Capitol, I'm Nick Berry.