CA: Fewer California state workers took pensions in 2011
Fewer state employees took their pensions in 2011, reversing a four-year trend that had seen more workers going into retirement. (Sacramento Bee)
CA: Viewpoints: Let's base public pension debate on facts, not made-up numbers
It would be nice to separate the wheat from the chaff in the debate over how to restructure public pensions. It is important to eliminate abuses and ensure that public pensions are fair to retirees and affordable to taxpayers. But it is equally important to key the debate on real facts and figures that accurately portray the public costs. (Sacramento Bee)
CA: Teachers union leads in record year of lobbying lawmakers
State Assemblyman Warren Furutani looked out over a sea of red -- protesting oil industry workers wearing scarlet T-shirts -- and saw trouble for his plan to raise $2.5 billion for universities with a tax on crude. Click here for chart. (Los Angeles Times)
California anti-tax groups put brakes on spending cap ballot measure
Fiscal conservatives seeking a constitutional cap on state spending suggested Tuesday they likely will wait until 2014. (Sacramento Bee)
FL: Judge rules against the state in pension case, creating potential budget gap
In a dramatic defeat for the governor and the Florida Legislature, a Leon County court judge on Tuesday ruled that the decision last year to cut public employee salaries was an unconstitutional breach of the state's contract and ordered the money returned with interest. (Miami Herald)
FL: Scott and Haridopolos full of spite for Fulford's ruling
Gov. Rick Scott and Senate President Mike Haridopolos both couldn't understand how Fulford had arrived at her decision with Haridopolos repeating his claim that Fulford, who ruled against the state in the prison privatization decision, was responsible for judicial activism. (Miami Herald)
FL: Our Opinion: Temporary relief
The "chaos" that Senate President Mike Haridopolos predicted if a court rejected the state's decision to force employees to contribute 3 percent into their pension plans is on, following Tuesday's ruling by Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford. (Tallahassee Democrat)
NY: Gov. Cuomo's Tier VI Pension Hopes On The Brink
Even Senate Republicans seem to be balking at Cuomo's plan to lower benefits and provide a 401(k) option to new workers. (New York Daily News)
NY: State workers' union: Cuomo "sticking it to" working people with Tier VI pension plan
Legislative leaders spoke to a large gathering of AFSCME public union members at the Capitol Tuesday. The union is strongly opposed to Governor Cuomo's pension reform plans--during the demonstration, it ran a radio ad that said politicians are trying to "stick it" to working people instead of making Wall Street and big corporations pay their fair share. (North County Public Radio)
Idaho workers would get $10M hike under House plan
House lawmakers supported a 2 percent, across-the-board pay hike for state workers, while lamenting not having more for employees who've seen their wages cut nearly every year since the 2008 recession. (AP / KIVI)
TN: Ailing state worker sues TN over termination
A longtime state employee who has been diagnosed with cancer has filed suit charging that top officials in Gov. Bill Haslam's administration illegally terminated him in violation of some of the same civil service laws and rules the governor is seeking to abolish. (The Tennessean)
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