Ricketts says OPS pension bill is a 'slippery slope' to state becoming responsible for shortfall [View all]

Gov. Pete Ricketts has come out against transferring management of the Omaha Public Schools pension system to the state, suggesting that it’s a step toward Nebraska taxpayers getting stuck with the fund’s $848 million shortfall.

“It is (a) slippery slope, which is why I oppose LB 147 for going down this path,” Ricketts said at a press conference this week. “We should not be exposing the state’s taxpayers for the mistakes that were made by the folks that were managing that fund for the OPS teachers.”

The state lawmaker pushing the bill said he likewise strongly opposes having Nebraska take on the debt and would not support the measure if he thought that it was a step in that direction. State Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward said the bill’s language is quite clear that the debt remains with OPS.

“I could not be more explicit in saying we are not accepting the liability,” he said. “So to now talk about a slippery slope is very disappointing.”

Read more: https://omaha.com/news/local/education/ricketts-says-ops-pension-bill-is-a-slippery-slope-to-state-becoming-responsible-for-shortfall/article_a1473aee-922d-11eb-827a-cb9380b3d539.html