Georgia lawmakers say teacher pensions need fixing, just not now [View all]

After agreeing over the past two sessions to pump nearly $600 million in extra payments into state teacher pensions, Georgia lawmakers have once again raised questions about the long-term prospects of the retirement system.

“At some point we are going to have to draw a hard line in the sand,” said state House Retirement Vice Chairman Tom Kirby, R-Loganville.

But it almost certainly won’t be during the 2018 legislative session, which will be followed by primary season.

Gloom-and-doom scenarios for the pension system have long been floated — scaring teachers and retirees. But as the House Retirement Committee recently began hearing a bill to limit cost-of-living raises to pensioners, the chairman made it clear the measure wouldn’t go anywhere.

Read more: https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/lawmakers-say-teacher-pensions-need-fixing-just-not-now/wUEq3TmyEOXSfoB1TlpmDL/