It has become the custom in many cases of both public and private employment for pensions to be offered for employees who retire after some long period of satisfactory service.
It is often easy to make generous pension promises, but it may be hard to pay for them when the time comes.
When questions about taxpayer-financed public pensions are involved, decisions should be based strictly on principles and financial realities, and should never be influenced by any of the “personalities” who may be affected.
A current issue has arisen about pensions for retiring members of the Hamilton County School Board. They are elected by the voters for only part-time jobs – and are paid annual salaries of $10,372.70.
The pension issue concerns paying retiring board members annual pensions that are calculated by multiplying their years of service by $750.