Making politicians accountable

Charleston Daily Mail:

FOR a quarter of a century, state and public school employees in West Virginia were told that they could trade unused sick leave for health insurance premiums once they retired.

Legislators past didn’t bother to calculate what that would cost.

Now a change in federal accounting rules is forcing state agencies and the 55 county school boards to face up to the expense of what are called Other Post-Employment Benefits.

Wood County School Superintendent Bill Niday said his county will have to set aside $12 million for these benefits by the end of 2010.

“What you have is a bare-bones, no-frills budget as a result of the OPEB issue,” Niday told the Parkersburg News and Sentinel. “Next year will be at a deficit. There is no question. There is no way out.”

How about starting by clawing back any government-supported pension or medical benefits belonging to those 25-years-worth of legislators?

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 14:53:51 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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