Lawmakers today decided that two hours wasn’t enough to handle the number of Vermonters who want to speak for or against the Speaker’s pension proposals, so they added a second hearing.
Public Hearing 2 – Pensions Monday, March 29 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Yesterday, VSEA was informed by House Speaker Jill Krowinski that a state employee pension proposal is being introduced Tuesday and Wednesday in the House Government Operations Committee. Even though what exactly is being proposed remains unknown, VSEA is encouraging as many members and retirees as possible to sign up ASAP to speak at Friday’s Public Hearing.
This postcard started hitting the home mailboxes of Vermont lawmakers this weekend. It’s a reminder from VSEA about the amount of money state employee retirees spend in our local Vermont communities, as well as a few other reasons state employee pension dollars are so important to Vermont and its economy and its ability to grow-both now and well into the future.
House Majority Leader Rep. Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, listens to discussion during a caucus of House Democrats at the Statehouse in Montpelier, February 4, 2020. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
It’s Sunshine Week. What Better Time For An Article About Behind-Closed-Door Policy Making“
Here’s how it appears to our members: A secret committee is meeting to put together a [pension] plan that’s going to drop from the sky,” says [VSEA Executive Director Steve] Howard, whose union represents most state workers. “And it’s going to be put into the Government Operations Committee and pushed right through.”
Note: Sunshine Week is a national initiative spearheaded by the News Leaders Association to educate the public about the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy.
