Haley Barbour: PERS study to protect system solvency, public employees
Democrats and some in the news media have repeatedly criticized my decision to create a study commission to analyze the long-term solvency of the Public Employees’ Retirement System. These attacks are aimed at politicizing a well-guided study commission and waging a fear-mongering campaign to scare state employees and retirees into voting Democrat during the 2011 legislative elections.
The myth promoted by political organizations is that the review of PERS is being done to punish state employees. They say reform is not needed, and claim “public servants are being targeted.” One columnist wrote, “Any politician who thinks that going after public employees is good politics will find out differently at the polls.”
Rather than “targeting” public employees, the study commission’s purpose is protecting them and their future pension income.
Columbus Dispatch
10/8/11
Magnolia Tribune
