When it comes to public pension reform, a little dab will NOT do ya'
Sometimes the truth IS scary.
A recent call to action by the Bluegrass Institute drew some fire because some believed that we did not tell the whole story about legislators who voted against HB 299. In fact, we were accused of fear mongering.
The truth is, Kentucky's public pension crisis is worthy of fear as it is endangering the financial viability of our state.
The author of the critique had this to say:
Sure, the legislature is to blame for sweetening its own pension deals. But that’s not all legislators. It’s primarily leaders and those scheming the system to make a mountain of cash.
The Bluegrass revisionist history crew apparently doesn’t want the general public to know that many legislators have voted against sweetening their pensions. That bunch is also set on making sure the public doesn’t find out that each year for the last four years? The State Senate has passed legislation to stop these messes.
The Bluegrass Institute doesn’t bother to mention legislators like Senator Jimmy Higdon, who has stood firmly against this mess. Or that in 2010 he introduced legislation that would have gutted House Bill 299 – but the House refused to vote on it.
While it is true that some legislators voted against HB 299 in 2005 the following facts remain:
The General Assembly greatly enhanced their retirement benefits.
Nothing has been done to effectively change policies and corrupt practices resulting from that legislation.
Kentucky's unfunded public pension liability doesn't go away because a few legislators voted against a bill, but who still stand to personally benefit from it.
Many of the legislators that voted for HB 299 are still in office as well.
This list of all votes for/against 2005's HB 299 was published in the Bluegrass Institute's 2012 Future Shock report. See any names you recognize? Many of these folks are still in office. Notice how several state senators didn't even do their job by failing even to cast a vote.
On March 8, 2005, members of the Kentucky General Assembly voted in the Senate and House on the same day their approval of HB 299, a bill that could greatly enrich their pensions. Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher allowed the bill to become law without his signature. Below is a roster of the state legislature in 2005 and how each member voted on HB 299.The names of lawmakers who no longer serve in the General Assembly are in italics.
SENATE
Yea — 30 votes (13 Democrats, 17 Republicans)
(D) Blevins Jr., Walter — West Liberty
(D) Boswell, David E. — Owensboro
(D) Carroll, Julian — Frankfort
(D) Harper Angel, Denise — Louisville
(D) Jones II, Ray S. — Pikeville
(D) Neal, Gerald — Louisville
(D) Palmer II, R.J. — Winchester
(D) Pendleton, Joey — Hopkinsville
(D) Rhoads, Jerry P. — Madisonville
(D) Ridley, Dorsey — Henderson
(D) Shaughnessy, Tim — Louisville
(D) Turner, Johnny Ray — Drift
(D) Worley, Ed — Richmond
(R) Borders, Charlie — Russell
(R) Buford, Tom — Nicholasville
(R) Gibson, Carroll — Leitchfield
(R) Guthrie, Brett — Bowling Green
(R) Harris, Ernie — Crestwood
(R) Kelly, Dan — Springfield
(R) Kerr, Alice Forgy — Lexington
(R) Roeding, Richard “Dick” — Lakeside Park
(R) Sanders Jr., Richard “Richie” — Franklin
(R) Seum, Dan — Louisville
(R) Stivers II, Robert — Manchester
(R) Tapp, Gary L. — Shelbyville
(R) Thayer, Damon — Georgetown
(R) Tori, Elizabeth — Radcliff
(R) Westwood, John D. “Jack” — Crescent Springs
(R) Williams, David L. — Burkesville
(R) Winters, Kenneth “Ken” — Murray
Nay — 2 votes (1 Independent, 1 Republican)
(I) Leeper, Robert “Bob” — I-Paducah
(R) McGaha, Vernie — R-Russell Springs
Did Not Vote — 6 (4 Democrats, 2 Republicans)
(D) Mongiardo, Daniel — Hazard
(D) Scorsone, Ernesto — Lexington
(R) Denton, Julie — Louisville
(R) Jensen, Tom — London
(R) Stine, Katie Kratz — Fort Thomas
(R) Stephenson*, Dana Seum — Louisville
*Barred from voting on Senate bill by court order, pending outcome of residency qualifications to serve.
REPRESENTATIVES
Yea — 48 votes (30 Democrats, 18 Republicans)
(D) Adkins, Rocky. — Sandy Hook
(D) Arnold, Adrian K. — Mount Sterling
(D) Arnold Jr., John A. — Sturgis
(D) Barrows, Joe — Versailles
(D) Bruce, James E. “Jim” — Hopkinsville
(D) Burch, Thomas “Tom” — Louisville
(D) Butler, Denver — Louisville
(D) Clark, Larry — Louisville
(D) Crenshaw, Jesse — Lexington
(D) Denham, Mitchell “Mike” — Maysville
(D) Edmonds, Ted “Teddy” — Jackson
(D) Gooch Jr., Jim — Providence
(D) Graham, Derrick — Frankfort
(D) Gray, J.R. — Benton
(D) Hall, W. Keith — Phelps
(D) Horlander, Dennis L. — Shively
(D) Jenkins, Joni — Shively
(D) Lindsay, Gross Clay — Henderson
(D) Miller, Charles — Louisville
(D) Moberly Jr., Harry — Richmond
(D) Pasley, Don — Winchester
(D) Rasche, Frank A. — Paducah
(D) Richards, Jody — Bowling Green
(D) Riggs, Steven R. — Louisville
(D) Stacy, John Will — West Liberty
(D) Webb, Robin — Grayson
(D) Westrom, Susan — Lexington
(D) Wilkey, Rob — Franklin
(R) Baugh, Sheldon E. — Russellville
(R) Comer, James R. — Tompkinsville
(R) Cornett, Howard — Whitesburg
(R) Couch, Tim — Hyden
(R) Crimm, Ronald “Ron” — Louisville
(R) DeWeese, Bob M. — Louisville
(R) Feeley, Tom — Crestwood
(R) Ford, Danny R. — Mount Vernon
(R) Harper, Mary C. — Shepherdsville
(R) Kerr, Thomas R. — Taylor Mill
(R) Lynn, Gerald “Gerry” — Brandenburg
(R) Marcotte, Paul H. — Union
(R) Mobley, Russ — Campbellsville
(R) Napier, Lonnie N. — Lancaster
(R) Rader, Marie L. — McKee
(R) Reinhardt, Jon David — Alexandria
(R) Rudy, Steven — Paducah
(R) Siler, Charlie — Williamsburg
(R) Upchurch, Ken — Monticello
(R) Vincent, John — Ashland
Nays — 36 votes (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans)
(D) Adams, Royce W. — Dry Ridge
(D) Ballard, Joseph “Eddie” — Madisonville
(D) Belcher, Carolyn — D-Preston
(D) Carr, James R. — Hopkinsville
(D) Cherry, Michael “Mike” — Princeton
(D) Collins, Hubert “Hubie” — Wittensville
(D) Hoffman, Charles R. “Charlie” — Georgetown
(D) Keene, Dennis — Wilder
(D) Lee, Jimmie — Elizabethtown
(D) McKee, Thomas M. “Tom” — Cynthiana
(D) Meade, Charles E. “Chuck” — McDowell
(D) Nelson, Rick — Middlesboro
(D) Nesler, Fred L. — Mayfield
(D) Owens, Darryl — Louisville
(D) Palumbo, Ruth Ann — Lexington
(D) Pullin, Tanya — South Shore
(D) Rand, Rick — Bedford
(D) Riner Jr., Thomas “Tom” — Louisville
(D) Smith, Ancel — Leburn
(D) Thompson, Tommy — Owensboro
(D) Wayne, Jim — Louisville
(D) Yonts, Brent — Greenville
(R) Bowen, Joe R. — Owensboro
(R) Bratcher, Kevin D. — Louisville
(R) Brinkman, Scott — Louisville
(R) Butler, Dwight D. — Harned
(R) Decesare, Jim — Bowling Green
(R) Dedman, Milward — Harrodsburg
(R) Farmer Jr., William P. “Bill” — Lexington
(R) Henley, Melvin B. — Murray
(R) Higdon, Jimmy — Lebanon
(R) Lee, Stan — Lexington
(R) Nunn, Stephen “Steve” — Glasgow
(R) Shelton, Terry — Magnolia
(R) Stewart III, James “Jim” — Flat Lick
(R) Turner, Thomas J. “Tommy” — Somerset
Just because a legislator isn't in a leadership position doesn't mean they are helpless -- an excuse increasingly offered from lawmakers. Let's see....what could they do? They could:
file legislation every session to abolish pensions for current -- current -- part-time legislators
write checks to the General Fund to send back the wealth they already have accrued on the backs of the taxpayer.
stand up publicly -- publicly -- in the media and on the floor of the House and demand -- demand -- that the leadership acquiesce to their wishes, or more importantly, the wishes of their constituents.
quit offering mealy-mouthed excuses that ignore the constituents who sent them to Frankfort and worry much more about the spineless leadership that absolutely, stubbornly and unbelievably -- continues to kick the can down the road.
We will continue our calls to action for citizens to engage their lawmakers about this issue. It is important. One vote doesn't get it done.