Vermont Lawmakers OK Pension Consolidation
A news report in the Montpelier (Vermont) Times Argus said supporters of the plan to put together funds for the state’s teachers, state employees and municipal employees also claim the setup will allow the state to make more “nimble” investment choices. The state House okayed the measure on Wednesday; state Senators already passed the bill earlier this year.
According to the news report, few in the Vermont
House voted against combining the pension funds into a $2
billion fund; it passed easily in a voice vote. The only
controversy was whether several elected and appointed
state officials on the individual pension boards would
have a role in choosing who represented members of the
so-called “super board.”
As the bill is drafted, the eight-member board is roughly
split between representatives elected by the employees on
the lower boards and officials. A proposed amendment
defeated by House members could have resulted in the
administration having more control over the pension fund
and the employees less, opponents of the measure
said.
But representatives of the unions involved said the
question was whether the Republicans and the
administration of Governor James Douglas trust
the union members to manage their own pensions.
“Employees are smart and capable enough to send people
who represent them to the board,” said Vermont State
Employees Association executive director Annie Noonan, in
the news report. “The administration was willing to risk
$1 million because they think the employees … are too
stupid.”