Davenport Iowa: Government Pensions Top Secret

By on January 19, 2012   /   Iowa, Latest, News Releases, Pension Reform  

DAVENPORT—A report released today by Taxpayers United of America (TUA) reveals salaries and top pension estimates for the government employees of the city of Davenport and Scott County. These government employees are not only receiving generous salaries, but as retirees, many will become pension millionaires. Iowa bureaucrats refuse to release pension figures, so total pension payouts were estimated* for this report.

“One really has to question why Iowa lawmakers keep individual pension information in a shroud of secrecy. Prohibiting public review of this information sends a message to taxpayers that lawmakers are more concerned with protecting abusers and double-dippers than imposing adequate reforms on a system that holds taxpayers hostage,” said Christina Tobin, TUA Vice President.
“Davenport and Scott County taxpayers struggle through this recession with average wages of $36,000 while government employees really rake it in for as many as 30 years of retirement.” (Click here to read the entire article…) →

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KGAN CBS 2 | Pension Protest Over Government Workers

By on January 19, 2012   /   Iowa Press, Press  

Rae Ann McNeilly, TUA’s Director of Outreach, discussed Cedar Rapids’ pension payout system on KGAN CBS 2. To watch the report, click here.


(KGAN) CEDAR RAPIDS—How much money are government and city workers making during retirement?
Too much, says Taxpayers United of America.
“We don’t want to villify the people who are receiving salaries and pensions from taxpayers,” said Rae Ann McNeilly of Taxpayers United of America. “It’s to villify the system.”
A system which pays government and public city workers multi-million pensions paid by taxpayers, according to the group.
The group wants drastic pension reform. Instead of pensions for retired city council members, make them pay into a 401 K account, suggests the group. And make that financial information public.
“The question begs what are we hiding if we won’t give individual pension amounts- pension payouts,” asked McNeilly.
The state, however, says city and state retirement funds are available to the public online.
Officials from the Iowa Public Employee’s Retirement System say of the 100,000 retired workes getting a pension, the monthly income for each is about $1,200. Money partially funded by the workers themselves.
“The employee contributes to the fund, the employer contributes to the plan, and over the career, the contributions are pooled and invested,” said Donna Mueller, CEO of I-PRES.
“The trust fund with the contributions and investments pays out pensions to the members who draw pensions from I-PRES,” Mueller said.
Thursday, January 19 2012, 12:48 AM CST

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