On October 25, 2013, The Manhattan Institute's conference on protecting public service through pension reform:
The Mayor of San Jose reported that employees there retire at age 50 with 90% of their salary and an automatic 3% annual increase. It's like signing a 70-year contract on day 1. I know they're competing with hot tech-sector Silicon Valley jobs, but at age 50, you've got time for another 10-20 year run.
Healthcare costs are included in the pension plans, and the cost increases are bankrupting municipalities at the same rate they are bankrupting the historically wealthiest order of nuns -- by 2015. When I heard that, at a conference I'm not sure was on the record, so I won't name them, I thought it was mostly because people aren't becoming nuns. Or if they are, they are joining a new order, or a lay order. Also because their schools have lost alumnae. However, the same dynamic is occurring in the public sector -- not enough newer employees paying in to support the increased healthcare costs. And that's before Obamacare even begins.
Former Governor Engler spoke on how he headed it off in Michigan before serious problems began. Former LA Mayor Richard Riordan was skyped in on a larger-than-wizard-of-oz sized screen -- first-ever at a Manhattan Institute Conference and first I had seen at a large event. Microphone proctors read questions from live tweets via livestream. I lack the reclusiveness more than the technology to watch from uptown, so when I saw the post on Facebook, I asked if I could go. You can watch the whole thing at Public Sector Inc. http://www.publicsectorinc.org/2013/10/saveourcities/
What you missed by not going to the event was the observation that no two hotel chicken feasts are alike. Today's was served with a clear mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and Lima beans, and delicious.
You also missed meeting candidate for NYC Comptroller John Burnett (who was Congressman Joe Bridenstien (R-OK)'s room mate at Cornell University.) Yet you have another chance to meet John Burnett this Monday night at 5:30.
Not to mention Scott Jeffries of Lincoln Voters databases, who suggested starting a movie theater with a non-breakable, cleanable screen at which viewers could throw tomatoes. This reminded me of Christian Josi's idea to start a political "sports bar" called "The War Room" with TV screens featuring every political show. Kind of like a press secretary's office with a menu.
I am trying to listen to those who suggest I write seriously, yet I can't resist closing with something funny:
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