Reed: Atlanta's #1 problem is pension crisis ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - The number one problem facing Atlanta city government is its employee pension crisis.

That's according to Mayor Kasim Reed who today talked to the Atlanta Press Club.

WABE's Charles Edwards reports

Go back to the Atlanta Mayor's race and you'll remember a lot of talk about race and public safety. Pension did receive candidate attention and media coverage. But now the issue of retirement income for past and current Atlanta workers takes center stage.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed says the problem is breaking the city's budget.

REED: "If we do not confront the challenge that was created by our pension problems, the city will really only be in the business of paying its pension benefits, providing police and providing fire."

Here's the problem. Right now, Atlanta is obligated to spend one out of every 5 dollars the city makes on pensions. That rate is a lot worse than in 2000. That year Atlanta's pension expense was 40 million dollars. Today it's a 140 million and growing. Reed, a lawyer by training, says it's a problem that would have been easily fixed in the private sector.

REED: "If a company was losing one out of 5 dollars, there would be a meeting and it would be resolved in 30 to 60 days and somebody would be fired."

However, Reed did not say specifically who's to blame. In fact, John Mallott, Reed's pension task force chairman, has said they're focused on solutions and not on auditing the past. Reed all but assured any solution will trigger a big political fight.

REED: "I do not have hostility towards anyone. Any union or any former employee of the city but that we have to find a way because all we're doing right now is being put in a position where we can't do anything but the basics."

The pension task force's recommendations should be public next month.

Charles Edwards, WABE News. © Copyright 2012, WABE