From Forward Kentucky: Dems invite Bevin to pension meeting; Bevin calls it “political stunt”
By FORWARD KENTUCKY
In an effort to collaborate and to head off a disastrous increase in pension contributions for public agencies across the Commonwealth, the House Democratic Caucus leadership sent a letter to Governor Bevin on Wednesday inviting him to meet with the caucus and discuss their concerns with his pension bill. In reply, the governor called the offer a “political stunt,” and said that Democrats were “kicking the can down the road … as you have done for 20 years.”
The exchange of letters was preceded by a letter sent by Governor Bevin to all legislators asking for a return response indicating a simple “Yes, I support” or “No, I don’t support” to the governor’s proposed pension bill. That initial letter was sent by Bryan Sunderland, deputy chief of staff to the governor.
In their letter, the Dem leadership urged the governor to call a special session not to vote on his pension bill, but to enact a one-year freeze on the pension contribution rates for quasi-governmental agencies, allowing for further discussion to come up with a “solid bipartisan solution” to the pension issue. They also noted that a one-year freeze was in many of the previous bills that had been proposed, and that it was supported by many of their Republican colleagues.