Tie votes kill pension reform

Government

The first sign of real trouble reared its head a couple of hours into the discussion.

City Council members for weeks had hardened their stances when it came to the length of pension reform.

Some thought 10 years, others three when it came to when they could again impose benefits for current members with fewer than 20 years on the job.

Council member Lori Boyer has been in the three-year camp, yet offered a compromise: Keep it at 10 years. But if projections on the city’s contribution and paying down unfunded liability ended up out of whack by 10 percent or more, council gets to revisit the issue.

Nine members agreed, nine didn’t. Tie vote. It failed.

Another amendment, this one striking reference to the much-beleaguered senior staff voluntary plan only a few associated with the Police and Fire Pension Fund enjoy. Keeping it in would codify something that has been deemed illegal, said council member Bill Gulliford.

Nine members agreed, nine didn’t. Tie vote. It failed.

With those two key issues unchanged, the writing was on the wall.

The pension reform deal Mayor Alvin Brown had pitched, the one he said saves taxpayers $1.3 billion over 30 years was in real danger. Those requiring some compromise to issue their seal of approval never received it. Those liking the bill as it was, kept it the way it was.

All that was left was a vote.

Nine members agreed, nine didn’t. Tie vote. Pension reform failed.

Chris Hand, Brown’s chief of staff, shortly after the defeat called the nine members’ decision against the bill was an “absolute insult” to taxpayers and public safety personnel.

“This one’s on them,” Hand said of council’s failure to pass the bill.

Council President Clay Yarborough said after months of debate and his eight years on council struggling with reform, he wanted it done. But he also wanted the right agreement for taxpayers.

He said he was willing to compromise, something he admits to not always being the best at over the years. He was willing to bend on the term of the deal with Boyer’s amendment in place. But he voted against the overall deal without it.

“To me, it seemed like there could have been more compromise,” Yarborough said afterward.

Council member Warren Jones has long talked about wanting to get a deal done.

It’s time, he’s said. And he voted for the deal each time, but walked away disappointed with the result.

“It’s frustrating,” he said.

Jones said it’s also frustrating for rank-and-file public safety members who were willing to forgo five years of the 15 they have left on their current deal.

Council member John Crescimbeni made an 11th-hour attempt to reconsider the bill’s tie vote. He was willing to live with the 10-year term without limitations if others removed that senior staff plan language.

“I’m very close to being on board with this bill,” Crescimbeni said. “I’m trying to compromise.”

Jones said afterward he would have been willing to do that had it meant reform passed. It was a moot effort, though, as the reconsideration failed.

Nine members agreed. Nine didn’t. Tie vote. It failed. (See vote breakdown below.)

The even number of council members was caused by former council member Johnny Gaffney’s departure last month. He unsuccessfully ran for a state House seat against Reggie Fullwood and was forced to vacate the position for the run.

Asked if Gaffney’s absence meant a change in the outcome, Hand said he didn’t want to speak for the former council member — but that he has been in favor of this pension reform.

Yarborough said he hoped Brown could bring council another deal in the coming weeks and have something approved by the time a new council takes office July 1.

Jones said he’d like that, too, and wanted to keep the issue out of court. But he also has an eye on the calendar.

“We’ve got six meetings left,” he said.

Another bill will require some substantial changes to be introduced, per council rules.

But unless those changes are enough of a compromise for this council, it’ll be the same result.

Split down the middle, resulting in failure.

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VOTED FOR BILL

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