Oklahoma Republicans Step Up Attacks on Public Employee Pensions
As recently reported , conservatives across the country are stepping up their assaults on the pensions of public workers. But it isn't just at the local government level that such attacks are happening. Legislation that would change or cut public pensions are being pursued in several states, including Oklahoma. Much like the proposals you see in the cities, Tulsa World is reporting Gov. Mary Fallin (R) and Republican legislative leaders are pushing a plan to switch pensions for state workers from defined-benefit plans to defined-contribution plans, which could amount to massive cuts in retiree benefits. The switch would leave many, including those who are not part of the Social Security system, in poverty.
A group of organizations that includes state firefighters, the Oklahoma Education Association, the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association and the Oklahoma Corrections Professionals pushed back against the plans, questioning the motives of the lawmakers behind the plans.
"What the state really appears to want to do is put less money into its pension plans," said Norman Cooper , executive director of the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association. "When you put less money into those pension plans, then the people who retire under those pension plans are going to get far less money out. The direction state leaders appear to want to go, what that is really going to do, is retire many of our public employees into poverty."
Fallin previously vetoed a bill that would've created an optional defined-contribution plan for state employees. At the time, she said that the legislation didn't go far enough.
Another important aspect of the story is that the same John and Laura Arnold Foundation, which is a driving force in other attempts to gut public pensions, is involved in the Oklahoma fight. John Arnold is a former Enron executive who made billions from the company before it crashed. His foundation is a strong supporter of efforts to eliminate public employee pension programs.
"We just have to ask why John Arnold, a billionaire from Texas, would care about Oklahoma pension systems," said Linda Hampton of the Oklahoma Education Association.
