Pensions Could Become Big Issue In Kentucky's Governor's Race.
Lawmaker pensions become election issue in KY
By ROGER ALFORD
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Facing criticism from political opponents, Republican David Williams is vowing not to accept a higher pension if he wins this year's gubernatorial election.
Williams, the longtime state Senate President, would be in line for an enhanced pension if he serves even one term in the $124,000-a-year job of governor under a legislative retirement loophole that has proven controversial in recent years.
The move by Williams is intended to quash what could become a bothersome campaign issue in his race to win the GOP primary and take on Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear in the fall.
"While Steve Beshear and his Democratic allies in the Senate and House refuse to join him in a call for closing this loophole, David will make the promise that if elected Governor he will not accept any increase in his pension," Williams campaign manager Scott Jennings said Friday. "If he is forced by statute to accept the higher pension, he will donate the entirety of the increase to charity."
GOP candidates - Williams included - have been criticizing the retirement sweetener that allows Kentucky's part-time lawmakers to receive enhanced pensions if they get better paying government jobs for at least three years.
Williams has pressed in the legislature to repeal the perk. Even so, his GOP primary opponents, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett and Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, have been bashing him for the perk because he was the leader of the Senate when it quietly passed in 2005.
"I find that unconscionable," Moffett said. "I don't think elected officials deserve pensions."
Both Holsclaw and Moffett have been trumpeting the pension issue, and both have said they're skeptical about Williams' attempts to repeal it.
Legislative records show that Williams has indeed tried. The Republican-controlled Senate passed legislation to repeal it in each of the last two years, only to have it blocked in the Democratic-controlled House.
Williams began his push to eliminate the perk after Beshear began using it as a way to get Republican lawmakers out of the state Senate.
At a Republican dinner in Bullitt County, Williams said the Senate legislation would "completely do away with the abuses" if the House would go along. Williams' push to repeal the perk could affect his own pension. As it now stands, if Williams is elected governor and serves at least three years, he would be eligible for a pension of at least $68,000 a year for the rest of his life.
Williams said he didn't envision the abuses that resulted from the pension enhancement when it passed six years ago. Beshear had lured two longtime Republican senators out of the legislature with appointments to more lucrative positions that promised higher pay and enhanced pensions. Charlie Borders, the Senate Appropriations and Revenue chairman, went to the Public Service Commission, and Dan Kelly, the Senate majority leader, was appointed to a circuit judgeship.
Both Borders and Kelly have said their decisions to accept the appointments were based on public service, not enhanced pensions.
Beshear had hoped to replace Borders and Kelly in the legislature with Democrats in subsequent special elections in a plan that didn't work out as hoped. Democrats won Border's seat, but Republicans were able to hold on to Kelly's.
"It wasn't until Steve Beshear began appointing legislators to executive branch positions that anyone realized it was possible to abuse the system in this way," Jennings said.
Beshear's push to loosen the GOP's grip created enmity with Williams, who opted to run for his job. Williams has become increasingly critical of Besehar, calling him "a caretaker" who has "put off the tough decision that a governor is called on to make in these kinds of economic times."
Beshear, who will face the eventual Republican nominee in this fall's general election, has been silent on the legislative pension issue, despite repeated calls to the campaign seeking comment about whether he favors repealing the enhancement.
A fifth gubernatorial candidate, independent Gatewood Galbraith, also is an ardent critic of the legislative perk, saying he would make repealing it a priority if he's elected.
"It shows clearly the ongoing dysfunction of state government lead by self-serving elected officials and makes clear the need for non-partisan Independent leadership," Galbraith said.
By ROGER ALFORD
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Facing criticism from political opponents, Republican David Williams is vowing not to accept a higher pension if he wins this year's gubernatorial election.
Williams, the longtime state Senate President, would be in line for an enhanced pension if he serves even one term in the $124,000-a-year job of governor under a legislative retirement loophole that has proven controversial in recent years.
The move by Williams is intended to quash what could become a bothersome campaign issue in his race to win the GOP primary and take on Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear in the fall.
"While Steve Beshear and his Democratic allies in the Senate and House refuse to join him in a call for closing this loophole, David will make the promise that if elected Governor he will not accept any increase in his pension," Williams campaign manager Scott Jennings said Friday. "If he is forced by statute to accept the higher pension, he will donate the entirety of the increase to charity."
GOP candidates - Williams included - have been criticizing the retirement sweetener that allows Kentucky's part-time lawmakers to receive enhanced pensions if they get better paying government jobs for at least three years.
Williams has pressed in the legislature to repeal the perk. Even so, his GOP primary opponents, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett and Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, have been bashing him for the perk because he was the leader of the Senate when it quietly passed in 2005.
"I find that unconscionable," Moffett said. "I don't think elected officials deserve pensions."
Both Holsclaw and Moffett have been trumpeting the pension issue, and both have said they're skeptical about Williams' attempts to repeal it.
Legislative records show that Williams has indeed tried. The Republican-controlled Senate passed legislation to repeal it in each of the last two years, only to have it blocked in the Democratic-controlled House.
Williams began his push to eliminate the perk after Beshear began using it as a way to get Republican lawmakers out of the state Senate.
At a Republican dinner in Bullitt County, Williams said the Senate legislation would "completely do away with the abuses" if the House would go along. Williams' push to repeal the perk could affect his own pension. As it now stands, if Williams is elected governor and serves at least three years, he would be eligible for a pension of at least $68,000 a year for the rest of his life.
Williams said he didn't envision the abuses that resulted from the pension enhancement when it passed six years ago. Beshear had lured two longtime Republican senators out of the legislature with appointments to more lucrative positions that promised higher pay and enhanced pensions. Charlie Borders, the Senate Appropriations and Revenue chairman, went to the Public Service Commission, and Dan Kelly, the Senate majority leader, was appointed to a circuit judgeship.
Both Borders and Kelly have said their decisions to accept the appointments were based on public service, not enhanced pensions.
Beshear had hoped to replace Borders and Kelly in the legislature with Democrats in subsequent special elections in a plan that didn't work out as hoped. Democrats won Border's seat, but Republicans were able to hold on to Kelly's.
"It wasn't until Steve Beshear began appointing legislators to executive branch positions that anyone realized it was possible to abuse the system in this way," Jennings said.
Beshear's push to loosen the GOP's grip created enmity with Williams, who opted to run for his job. Williams has become increasingly critical of Besehar, calling him "a caretaker" who has "put off the tough decision that a governor is called on to make in these kinds of economic times."
Beshear, who will face the eventual Republican nominee in this fall's general election, has been silent on the legislative pension issue, despite repeated calls to the campaign seeking comment about whether he favors repealing the enhancement.
A fifth gubernatorial candidate, independent Gatewood Galbraith, also is an ardent critic of the legislative perk, saying he would make repealing it a priority if he's elected.
"It shows clearly the ongoing dysfunction of state government lead by self-serving elected officials and makes clear the need for non-partisan Independent leadership," Galbraith said.
Labels: Kentucky politics
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 3:59 PM
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