Mississippi retirees’ cost-of-living adjustments safe

Mississippi retirees’ cost-of-living adjustments safe

JACKSON — Teachers and other retired DeSoto County public employees can rest assured that their annual cost-of-living increases, the so-called 13th checks, will keep coming, state legislative leaders say.

Legislators made no bones during budget hearings about the prospect of using the retirement money to help balance the state budget in what is expected to be another difficult year for slow-growing state revenues.

But in a rare move, members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee voted Thursday to assure public employees that their 13th checks will remain untouched as legislators look for ways to fund the fiscal year 2013 budget that takes effect July 1.

Commercial Appeal
9/25/11