Kansas City Business Journal | Group rails against government pensions, names names

Findings from TUA’s pension project on Kansas City, Kansas, are featured in this article from the Kansas City Business Journal.
One of the largest taxpayer organizations in the United States is calling for reform of government worker pensions by revealing pension payouts to local officials, Fox4 reports.
Taxpayers United of America claims many government employees will become “pension millionaires” after they retire, with taxpayers footing the bill.
The group calculated the top 25 pensions for government employees in Wyandotte and Douglas counties.
Kansas City, Kan., Police Chief Rick Armstrong tops the list in Wyandotte County. If he retires at 55 and lives until he’s 85, the group estimates he will receive about $3 million in pension payments.

KSALLink.com | Group to Reveal Local Government Salaries, Projected Pensions

Findings from TUA’s pension project on Saline, Kansas, are featured in this story from KSALLink.com.
An organization that believes government pensions are out of control, and unsustainable, will on Wednesday reveal the salaries and projected pensions of Salina and Saline County government employees.
Taxpayers United of America is currently traveling the country, making stops in every state.
In an effort to bring notice to their cause, the organization is stopping in communities across the country, revealing the salaries of local government employees, and projecting what their lifetime pensions will be.
For regular government employees the lifetime pensions are projected from retirement at age 62, to age 85. For police and fire lifetime pensions are projected from retirement at age 55, to age 85.
Appearing on KSAL’s Friendly Fire program Tuesday evening, the organization’s Vice President Christina Tobin revealed some of the group’s research.
Tobin said “Salina Police Chief James Hill can look forward to an estimated lifetime pension payout of $2,878,529, based on his current gross salary of $119,939. Sheriff Glen Kochanowski stands to receive an estimated lifetime pension payout of $2,041,290 based on his $85,054 gross salary. And Saline County Engineer Neil Cable will enjoy an estimated lifetime pension payout of $1,506,608 based on his annual gross wages of $102,490.”
Tobin says that she believes that all government workers need to get what is owed to them. However, the current pension system is broken, and needs to be changed to more of a 401K style program for new government employees.
She adds that though she thinks that current government workers should get what is owed to them, the current pension system cannot be sustained and needs to be changed immediately.
Taxpayers United of America plans to release their entire list of local Salina and Saline County government employee salaries, along with their projected lifetime pensions, on Wednesday.
Taxpayers United of America is a non-profit pro-taxpayer organization based in Chicago. The group is currently on a tour that will stop in all 50 states, and the Dictrict of Columbia, urging state governments to switch to 401K style pension plans.

Salina, KS: Top Secret Government Pensions Revealed!

SALINA— Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today revealed government employee wages and pension estimates for Salina and Saline County.  Kansas’ government employees are not only receiving generous salaries, but when retired, many will become pension millionaires.  Kansas officials refused to release pension figures, so the pension payouts are close estimates* for this report.
“Why are Kansas lawmakers hiding their pension information?  Are they more concerned with protecting abusers, than reforming a system that holds taxpayers hostage?” asked Christina Tobin, TUA Vice President.
“Yesterday, I hand delivered letters to Gov. Brownback and each member of the Kansas Legislature, asking for transparency regarding individual pension amounts, as well as meaningful pension reforms that will be both fair and sustainable.”
“Taxpayers struggle through this recession with an average income of $33,000 while government employees really rake it in with as many as 30 years of retirement benefits. The maximum Social Security annual payout is $22,000, regardless of how much one may have earned in their working career.”
“Salina Police chief, James D. Hill can look forward to an estimated lifetime pension payout of $2,878,529, that is $95,951 annually, based on his current gross of $119,939.”*
“Salina government teacher, Roanne D. Stein had annual gross wages of $74,016 and looks forward to an estimated annual pension starting at $45,335 with an estimated lifetime payout of $1,088,032.”*
“Saline County Engineer, Neil D. Cable had annual gross wages of $102,490.  Cable will enjoy $1,506,608 in estimated lifetime pension payouts or at least $62,775 annually.”*
“Saline County Sheriff, Glen F. Kochanowski grossed $85,054 annually and stands to receive an estimated beginning pension of $68,043 with a lifetime estimated pension payout of $2,041,290.”*
“Kansas government pension systems are making millionaires out of public employees at taxpayer expense. Ending pensions for all new government hires and replacing with social security and 401(k)s would eventually eliminate unfunded government pensions. If current government employees would increase contributions toward their pensions, taxpayers would save billions of dollars.”
“According to the Kansas Policy Institute’s report of March, 2011, A Comprehensive Reform of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, ‘Kansas must enact pension reform quickly to ensure the future viability of the system and to prevent catastrophic funding shortfalls in the near future’.”
“This is a time for the political courage to do what’s in the best interest of taxpayers, rather than the special interests. Let’s knock any politician out of office, who cuts bad deals with union bosses and corporations! Republican or Democrat, what’s the difference with numbers like these?”
*1. Est. Begin pensions 35 years except P&F at 32 years 2. Retirement age 62 except P&F at age 55. 3. No COLA 4. NO SS for P&F.
 Click the links below to view the estimated pensions and the letter to the governor  and  legislature:
Salina KS Government Employees
Salina KS Government Teachers
Saline County KS Government Employees
Kansas State Judges
University of Kansas Government Employees
Kansas State Government Employees
Letter to Governor
Letter to Legislature