Page 50 - State Workers News Today

The senate was in pro forma session to pass the tax cut. >> bret: thank you. now a story that could effect the pocketbook of people all over the country. chief washington correspondent jim angle examines a huge dilemma involving your money. >> governors and their taxpayers have a big problem on their hands. two to $3 trillion in promised pension and benefit to state and local workers they cannot pay for. >> this is a huge mess. odds are strong that taxpayers will see taxes go up very, very high....

Jon: happening now some new concerns that arent getting a lot of publicity. your taxes could be going up depending on where you live because of underfunded state pension plans. some states are constitutionally bound to pay what they have promised even when they dont have the money. that could mean higher taxes for everybody. jim angle, live in washington, d.c. for that. jim? >> reporter: hello, jon. well the nations governors and their taxpayers have a big problem on their hand. two to $3 trilli...

How responsible they have been, the odds are very strong that many taxpayers are going to see their taxes go up, very, very high to pay pension promises that were made long ago. >> reporter: in fact some 40 states have enacted pension reforms of one sort or another and many cities. rhode islands pension system is so underfunded, the governor there, an independent, is contemplating cutting benefits by as much as 50%. democratic governor, jerry brown also fays huge shortfalls in california and mad...

The president can make appointments. but he did not mention that the senate was in pro forma session to pass the tax cut. >> bret: thank you. now a story that could effect the pocketbook of people all over the country. chief washington correspondent jim angle examines a huge dilemma involving your money. >> governors and their taxpayers have a big problem on their hands. two to $3 trillion in promised pension and benefit to state and local workers they cannot pay for. >> this is a huge mess. odd...

Work for the state. so not only he would not negotiate with people on this, he will never negotiate with them again. he will remove their right to collectively bargain in essence. while shocked by the radicalness of proposal and how fast he is trying to jam it through, state workers in wisconsin proved they are not going to take this lying down. look at this. an estimated 30,000 people protested in the state capital of madison today. 30,000 people. this is a fight for the democratic party. thats...

Game and pumped up for pensions for thousands of state workers costing you. details on the dangerous trend. there he is, gordon jones, poised at this moment to discover new plum amazins from sunsweet, the amazing alternative to raisins and cranberries with 50% more fiber, about half the sugar, and a way better glycemic index. yes, thats the stuff. hes clearly enjoying one of the planets most amazing superfruits. amazin yes, plum amazins, 100% fruit with so much more nutrition and taste its simpl...

Bill: federal spending is going through the roof but theyve also helped to keep the states spending as well? how has that worked? >> reporter: that is exactly right. the stimulus started in 2008, 2009, federal spending has skyrocketed and through that stimulus bill its allowed the states to avoid the really tough choices. federal spending up 93% over the last decade. despite the tough economy state spending hit $1.6 trillion in 2010. many republicans are calling for real spending cuts not higher...

The only way to trim spending is cut the collective bar ganning right to state workers and reduce the benefits to all residents. a move proven elusive in wisconsin and ohio. in seattle, dan springer, fox news. >> a few moments ago police identified the man who shot a police officer and took his life on campus of virginia tech thursday. they say 22-year-old ross ashley was a student from nearby radford university. ballistics tests confirmed ashley and the police officer were killed with the same ...

2009. it was made possible by the huge spike in federal spending thanks in large part to the stimulus bill. it is up, that federal spending is up 93% the last decade, and federal money now accounts for more than a third of all state expenditures. >> the real world where we are is if i have more money to spend this year than last year, even if its not as much as i wanted, thats an increase. so state government has been having increases steadily, just not as high as legislators would like. >> repo...

Youll find they supported a thrust on pensions and health care and concept that state workers ought to pay 15% of the premiums and 10% of the wages towards pensions they disagreed on you know sort of the collective bargaining over health benefits and including police and fire in this arrangement. youll remember in wisconsin governor scott walker excluded police, fire and law enforcement public safety from his collective bargaining labor law reform that. probably a smart move. ohio proved its a b...