Just fix the pensions

The Kentucky Employees Retirement System is either the most troubled in the nation or among those in the worst trouble, depending upon whom you believe.

I have written to state representatives and senators about my concerns for the retirement system’s problems. The responses I received are all too typical of the current trend in American thinking: someone else’s fault. Blame placing is for 10-year-olds.

Police officers, firefighters and EMTs work difficult schedules and are subject to call 24 hours a day. They are never off duty. Emergency responders are not automatically heroes, but many have proved themselves to be true heroes.

I was a police officer for 23 years. I have seen things you would not like to see and cannot imagine. I have had to do things that only war veterans can relate to, and yet, there is no way that I could be a public school teacher, possibly the most grueling of public jobs.

The retirement system is in trouble. There is blame to place, but that doesn’t fix it. Fixing it will obviously require money.

So, are we willing to honor the commitment to our retired public employees? Is it worth a few extra tax dollars?

Think. What if you called 911 and there was silence?

This story was originally published June 30, 2017 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Just fix the pensions."