SWA Board Selects Babcock and Wilcox
The Taxpayers won again – just barely. After a 9 1/2 hour marathon meeting at the Solid Waste Authority auditorium on Jog Road, the SWA board upheld their selection committee’s choice of Babcock and Wilcox to build and operate the $600M waste-to-energy plant that is the biggest taxpayer-funded project ever undertaken in the county. This was good news for the taxpayer since on the “future value” method of comparison by SWA consultant... [Read More...]
County Votes to pay 35% of cost of Convention Center Hotel
This morning, the Board of County Commissioners voted 4-2 (Marcus/Aaronson/Vana/Burdick in favor, Abrams/Taylor against, Santamaria absent) to “conceptually approve” a county subsidy of $27 Million to The Related Companies to build a 400 room Hilton next to the convention center. They also approved $200,000 from the General Fund Contingency Reserves to fund consultant and legal services to further develop the proposal. While most would... [Read More...]
Pension Bills Ready for Conference
Much has happened to the two pension reform bills winding their way through the Legislature this week. Both Senate Bill SB2100 (replacing SB1130) and House Bill HB1405 have survived a vote (mostly along party lines) in their respective chambers. As there are differences between the bills, a conference committee will attempt to resolve them, probably starting next week. Although they do not go as far as the Governor’s original proposal (no... [Read More...]
TAB Partner Seeks Help from Cities and Towns
The town of Palm Beach County Budget Task Force (a TAB coalition partner), hosted a meeting of elected officials of towns and cities throughout the county yesterday, asking them to join with the task force and TAB to advocate against another year of tax increases on the county level. The attendees were given a presentation of the TAB work on budget trends, and the prelimnary “TAB Proposal” for the 2012 budget which includes no tax hike,... [Read More...]
Pension Reform in Tallahassee – an Update
Breaking News: Yesterday (4/1) the Senate budget committee introduced SB2100 as a committee bill, exceeding the provisions of SB1130 for pension reform. Including a 3% across-the-board contribution (replacing the tiered system of 1130), elimination of the DROP program, closing the defined benefit plan to new hires, and stopping the COLA for accruals (all after July of this year), it comes much closer to the Governor’s proposal than the earlier... [Read More...]
Today, the Taxpayer Won
4/1/11 Update: Wheelabrator has decided to protest the bid and will be heard at the SWA Board meeting on 4/13 at 9:00. They will have 45 minutes to make their case and B&W will have an equal time to rebut. See Agenda for more information. Low-cost bidder Babcock and Wilcox recommended by committee for SWA mass burn plant. This afternoon at the Solid Waste Authority Visitor’s Center on Jog Road, the committee tasked with selecting one... [Read More...]
Pension Reform and Implications for Palm Beach County
Highlights Governor’s FRS reform worth close to $100M / year to Palm Beach County (with schools included) Senate bill SB1130 implements only portions – reducing savings to about $30M Any change in special risk accruals are strongly opposed by the police and fire unions The legislature lacks the political courage to support the governor in these changes With the legislative session about to open, a battle is brewing over the Governor’s... [Read More...]
Public Sector Compensation – Some Perspective
With the conflict over public employee compensation raging in Wisconsin and likely to spread across the country, there are still misconceptions about how public employees are compensated (and how well), the role of unions in setting the levels of compensation, and the political aspects that typically are more significant than the economic aspects. We at TAB believe that setting equitable compensation for public employees is as important to budget... [Read More...]
TAB Study Referenced in Palm Beach Post Editorial
Our study of county pay and benefits ( Palm Beach County Pay and Benefits – How Much is Enough? ) was recently referenced in a Post editorial ( Rein in fire-rescue costs: Pay that was reasonable in better times no longer is ) regarding Fire/Rescue compensation. We came to the conclusion that the county should consider these elevated levels of compensation when they begin contract negotiations with the IAFF shortly. The Post agrees. It should... [Read More...]
Florida Cities, Counties Can’t Afford Promised Pensions
In a recently released study, the nonpartisan LeRoy Collins Institute at Florida State has concluded that many local governments throughout the state cannot afford the pension obligations they have promised to their employees. According to the Sally Kestin, in a Sun-Sentinel article today, municipal pensions account for more than half the payrolls in Miami, Pembroke Pines and Hollywood. Called a “time bomb” by the report, and a “catastrophe”... [Read More...]