FL Teachers, police officers and firefighters upset about Scott's pension plans

St. Petersburg Times ^ | February 8, 2011 | Tom Marshall, David DeCamp and Craig Pittman

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Megan Allen teaches special-needs students at Cleveland Elementary in Tampa, a tough job under any circumstances. She does it so well that last year she was Florida's Teacher of the Year.

Now Gov. Rick Scott wants to take some of her pay away — a move that teachers, firefighters and other public employees say will hurt education, hamper law enforcement and chase good people away from public employment.

Scott, in the budget he unveiled Monday, called for an overhaul of the state's pension system for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other state and county workers. He wants them to contribute 5 percent of their pay to their retirement accounts, instead of the state covering the entire expense. Most states require at least some employees to contribute toward their retirement.

Allen said it would be fair for Scott to ask teachers to contribute only if they were being paid a salary comparable to what they could earn in the private sector.

The governor predicted that many public employees will complain, but told supporters, "What we have to remember is we're doing this for the sake of our children and grandchildren."

[Dedbone]

Can someone tell me what classroom supplies are bought by the teachers? Seriously.

[wbill]

If public employees should be paid a salary comparable to their worth in the private sector then we should cut their salaries by 20-50% right off the top.

Plenty of useless bureaucrats in the private sector, too. When you see headlines like "Company makes targeted layoffs, 5000 employees impacted", the deadwood is always the first to go.

Note, a "targeted" layoff is way different from a "plant closing" or something....closings get everyone, good and bad.

You're right though, Gov't at all levels could swing a pretty big axe. When DC has bad weather, goes to "essential employees only" and no workers show up .... that's a pretty big hint. :-)

[Alice in Wonderland]

Can someone tell me what classroom supplies are bought by the teachers? Seriously.

My grandson was in the Beta Club in middle school. At the end of the school year the teacher in charge of the club gave the students little goodie bags that had pens with their names engraved on them and a few other school type supplies. I'm assuming those were considered 'classroom supplies'.

[Mopp4]

Thanks....I realize now that the problem with my earlier post is that with social security, my money is not going to an account setup just for me. Which pisses me off and should piss of union members too...at least the 5% contribution would go into an account specifically for the member....I think....

[Jacquerie]

Please explain DROP. Sounds like a scam.

[Florida native]

DROP = Deferred Retirement Option Program

Basically, you reach retirement age/date and join the program (usually 5 years from date you actually plan to retire, but you can leave the program and retire sooner if you choose).

During that time, you stop accruing years of service...but you continue to draw your normal paycheck. While you continue working, you draw your retirement into an account that you will receive in a lump sum or periodic disbursements paid at the end of the DROP period.

The biggest issue I have with DROP - those in the program can choose to return to work after 1 month (before 7/1/2010) or after 6 months (after 7/1 2010)and begin working again drawing a paycheck, while still drawing retirement.

The original reason for DROP was to slow the loss of highly qualified teachers during a teacher shortage. Today, it is no longer needed...and is one reason why new teachers cannot find employment.