
The bill will receive a public hearing before the legislature’s Appropriations Committee on March 28 at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
“Before the session began, I proposed limiting to
$100,000 annually the pension amount a state employee could receive in
retirement,” Sen. Linares said. “While this bill does not go that far,
it starts a much-needed process. The present
state employee contract that dictates pension and fringe benefits is in
effect until 2027. It is imperative that we determine the long-term
impact that meeting these obligation will have on the state’s economy,
and what can be done if the money isn’t there.”
Senator Linares said the state contract makes
promises to employees at all pay levels. He asked what happens if
pensions for the highest-paid employees prevent the state from keeping
its promise to lower wage employees.
“Right now, the state has nearly 1,400 retirees
receiving pensions in excess of $100,000, including a former UConn
professors who receives more than $300,000 each year,” he said. “I
don’t see how we can sustain payments at these levels
year after year while we add new retirees to the system. Capping
pensions at $100,000 may not fix the problem, but it certainly won’t
make it any worse. We can’t keep this up forever.”
Sen. Linares said requiring a study and potential
courses of action would allow legislators to make informed choices to
address the matter.
The Appropriations Committee Public Hearing will be at 10 a.m. on March 28
at the Legislative Office Building on Capitol Avenue in Hartford. Those
unable to attend the hearing can submit testimony by emailing:
apptestimony@cga.ct.gov.
Submissions must include the bill number, Senate Bill 367, in the
subject line. Testimony can be the email message itself or an attached
document.
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