See below for video of the final few minutes of today’s discussion/debate and votes by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on proposed changes to Fairfax County employees’ pension plans. For background on this issue, see Video: Police, Educators, SEIU President, County Board Candidate Linda Sperling All Speak Out Against Cuts to Fairfax County Pensions for New Employees.
Also see below for some tweets – in reverse order – by SEIU Virginia 512 on the discussion/debate and votes late this afternoon. The bottom line is that the overall package of pension changes/cuts failed, while Supervisor Penny Gross’ motion to eliminate the 3% annuity for future employees passed 6-4, and Supervisor Gross’ motion to eliminate the pre-Social Security supplement for Fairfax County employees starting next July passed unanimously.
- “It seems that
@johnfoustva was the deciding vote on Supervisor@yr2centsworth Penny Gross’s motion to eliminate the 3% annuity for future employees passes 6-4″ - “Supervisor @JeffreyCMcKay: ‘what we did here hurts our ability to recruit… my hope is this closes the debate on’ retirement security. ‘Let’s not play games every few years with our employees.'”
- “Supervisor @yr2centsworth Penny Gross’s motion to eliminate the 3% annuity for future employees passes 6-4”
- “Supervisor @yr2centsworth Penny Gross’s motion to change the salary averaging from 3 to 5 years, thus reducing benefits for future employees, fails”
- “Supervisor @yr2centsworth Penny Gross’s motion to eliminate the pre-social security supplement for @fairfaxcounty employees starting next July passes unanimously”
- “Motion fails with @SharonBulova @yr2centsworth @DanStorck Sup. Hudgins @JeffreyCMcKay @johnfoustva @SullySupervisor voting No, and @PatHerrity @JohnCookVA and Sup. Linda Smyth voting Yes”
- “Supervisor @JohnCookVA seconds @PatHerrity motion, then attacks the employee workgroup that he led, and then says he’s ‘disappointed’ in @fairfaxcounty employee groups.”
- “Supervisor @PatHerrity makes a substitute motion to advance the full package of cuts to retirement security, then claims once again without evidence that young workers don’t value retirement security.”
- “Supervisor Penny Gross @yr2centsworth announces that she will not move a package of cuts — instead moving cuts one-by-one — a ‘different’ plan than what some supervisors say they expected.”
- “Supervisor Penny Gross @yr2centsworth also acknowledges that retirement benefits for future educators, first responders, nurses, etc. will be ‘reduced,’ essentially creating a two-tier workforce.”
- “Supervisor Penny Gross @yr2centsworth acknowledges in opening statement that ‘the board is divided’ and that she is ‘disappointed that a year’s worth of work has not yielded concensus'”
- “The @fairfaxcounty board has begun debating whether or not to slash retirement benefits for future educators, first responders, nurses, librarians and other employees. Follow along here.”
UPDATE: The following tweet by Supervisor John Cook (R) demonstrates why we should all be happy he’s not running for reelection. As for Linda Smyth (D)…also glad she’s not running for reelection!
Board fails to pass pension reform 3-7. Only @PatHerrity Linda Smyth and I support full package. Two watered down reforms pass. Sad day as reforms would have put county plans on sounder footing.
— John Cook (@JohnCookVA) December 4, 2018
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