With Public Employees in general being a group that generally votes Democratic I was really suprised when I read this article this morning in the paper.
If what is suggested is true the administration would be almost pulling a Scott Walker on public employees.
Maybe there's another interpretation? I'm hoping so because with the election so close and the GOP's war on public employees blurring the lines between who is the one who is most friendly to public workers can only hurt us in the fall:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Attorneys for the state Consolidated Public Retirement Board are trying to determine whether a pending Internal Revenue Service regulation will prevent state and public school employees from retiring before age 62, the retirement board's director told state lawmakers Tuesday.
The IRS regulation will create a definition of "normal retirement age" as being age 62, or age 50 for law enforcement officers, Jeff Fleck said.
"Needless to say, it created a lot of interest, and we've gotten a lot of calls from constituents," Fleck said of the regulation, which was to take effect on Jan. 1, 2013. The IRS announced last month it is pushing the effective date back to Jan. 1, 2015.
To say that teachers and state employees are concerned about the regulation is an understatement, said Sen. Larry Edgell, D-Wetzel.
"A lot of friends we've talked to are scared to death right now," said Edgell, a retired teacher.
Currently, state and public school employees can retire at age 55, if they have enough years of service. State Police can retire at age 50 with 25 years of service, except for troopers in the since-closed retirement Plan A, who can retire after 25 years of service regardless of age.
Fleck said it's not clear whether the IRS regulation would eliminate early retirement, would force early retirees to accept smaller-than-normal pensions, or whether the IRS would impose tax penalties for early retirees.
Does anybody know any further details on this. The fact that this story made page 1 of the Charleston Gazette, which is a generally democratic paper surely won't do Obama any favors in WV where due to the race factor the cards are stacked against him but if this is as it seems it's a huge political blunder by the administration.
http://wvgazette.com/...
If what is suggested is true the administration would be almost pulling a Scott Walker on public employees.
Maybe there's another interpretation? I'm hoping so because with the election so close and the GOP's war on public employees blurring the lines between who is the one who is most friendly to public workers can only hurt us in the fall
In the comments on the story a statement so true:
Just wait for the next headline - Romney Urges Obama's IRS to Issue Retirement Age Guidelines prior to Election. Instead of spending time on The View, Obama ought to jog over to the Internal Revenue Service and ask the Commissioner what he has been drinking over there. In an economy without enough jobs, this is exactly what you do not want - people who can retire staying on the job and filling a slot that could be opened up for some kid looking for a job.