Rep. Brown Piccolantonio Statement on Vote Supporting Increase Employer Contributions to the Police and Fire Pension Fund
COLUMBUS — State Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna) today released the following statement regarding her support of House Bill (HB) 296 which would increase employer contributions to the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund (OP&F):
“It is not only our obligation to ensure that the pension fund supporting our first responders is healthy and stable, but it’s also the right thing to do. Each of these brave individuals have made a career choice that gives them the responsibility to serve and protect all of us. They deserve to know that the pension system they’ve been paying into over the course of their careers is going to be able to support the benefits they were told to expect when they began paying into it.
I have heard from local elected and appointed leaders who serve in my house district and beyond about the financial impact this legislation will have on them and ultimately on all of us when the cost of it puts our local municipalities in a position that they are unable to continue to hire adequately to keep our communities safe and to pay the wages needed to support these same first responders. Ironically, less active-duty members significantly contribute to the instability of the pension fund and higher wages help the stability of the fund. I trust the local leaders in the communities I represent and take them at their word about the serious concerns they have about the financial impact this legislation has.
None of this is easy or uncomplicated. Which is why, from my perspective, as someone who sits on the Ohio Retirement Study Council, we should have had additional time for updated financial projections so that we could have had recommendations from ORSC and provided time for continued discussion between interested parties toward a solution that could have been supported by all.
That said, I voted yes on HB 296, but this cannot be the end of the dialogue because we are only addressing one piece of the equation today. As we head into a new budget cycle, I implore us to continue the conversation and be creative about approaches to supporting our local communities. We’ve had two different approaches offered as amendments here today, but there are a multitude of ways we could support local governments so they are not forced to make the no-win decision about going to taxpayers for additional dollars many cannot afford or cutting essential services. As legislators, we are the only ones who have the unique ability to ensure that ALL Ohioans can live in safe and thriving communities, regardless of the geographic and economic diversity throughout our state. We are the elected officials who have the power to set tax policy and a budget at a statewide level that reflects the values and belief that all Ohioans deserve to live in safe communities and that we value those who work every day to help keep us safe. We must fulfill that obligation in addition to our obligation to making sure the pension fund is sound.” said Rep. Brown Piccolantonio.
HB 296 passed the House by a 66-25 vote and now proceeds to the Senate for further consideration.
Rep. Brown Piccolantonio is the ranking member of the Ohio House Pensions Committee and a member of the Ohio Retirement Study Council.
Rep. Brown Piccolantonio offered Amendment 2890 on the House Floor, which would provide our local municipalities some support as they phase in the additional cost of their increased financial contribution to the Police and Fire Pension fund by requiring the State to contribute half of the difference between the current employer contribution rate and the proposed increased employer contribution rate for a period of time and then to be phased out as our local governments are better able to plan for their continued increased costs. The amendment was tabled.