Retirement Bill Stalls in Assembly

A bill improving the retirement formula for public employees remains in limbo, following an attempt to force a vote in the Assembly.

Efforts to call for a vote on the Assembly floor were rejected, and one legislative leader said the bill will not pass this session.

Six public employee unions, including WEAC, have been involved in discussions with state officials on a plan to improve the formula that sets retirement benefits for workers in the Wisconsin Retirement System.

Talks bogged down last fall when Rep. Judy Klusman, co-chair of the Legislature’s retirement committee, insisted upon provisions the union coalition could not accept.

Last week (January 12-18), two representatives unsuccessfully attempted to pull the bill from committee and bring it to a vote.

Rep. Klusman opposed the vote. “There is no consensus,” she said.

WEAC Executive Director Don Krahn said WEAC will continue to work with legislators and the executive branch.

“However, the bill is probably dead unless the governor proposes a new alternative,” he said.

Posted January 19, 1998