AUSTIN, TX – The Houston City Council today voted 16 to 1 to approve a resolution endorsing Mayor Sylvester Turner’s pension reform package. The symbolic vote signals local officials’ intent to bring this matter before the 85th Texas Legislature.
“City council’s endorsement of the mayor’s pension reform package is unfortunate for two reasons,” said James Quintero, director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Local Governance and Think Local Liberty project. “First, the mayor’s reform package does nothing to restore local control. Maintaining the status quo means that Houston’s pension plans will continue to be locked-in to state statute and Houstonians will be locked-out from making changes. Second, the council’s endorsement signals that they are not serious about making needed structural changes, like transitioning new employees to a defined contribution system, to keep retirees and taxpayers safe and secure.”
“Houston doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem and it needs real reform starting with granting Houstonians local control of their pension systems,” said Bryan Mathew, Policy Analyst with the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Think Local Liberty project.
For more information or to request an interview with Mr. Quintero or Mr. Mathew, please contact Caroline Espinosa at [email protected] or 512-472-2700.
James Quintero is Director of the Center for Local Governance and Think Local Liberty project at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. |