Last updated 11:04PM ET
May 19, 2013
The Pench What's Next
The Pench What's Next
The Pench What's Next: lawmakers approve pension overhaul PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-18) By IAN DONNIS
The General Assembly has approved pension overhaul legislation considered among the most sweeping in the nation for teachers and public employees.The bill raises the retirement age for full pension benefits, cuts cost of living adjustments, and moves current participants into a hybrid 401(k)-style system.
The Pench What's Next: a series of amendments PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-17) By IAN DONNIS
A number of amendments are expected to be debated when the General Assembly votes on pension overhaul legislation. Many of the amendments are labor-backed efforts to scale back the pension overhaul's impact on the benefits received by public employees.
The Pench What's Next: Mayor Allan Fung weighs-in PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-16) By ELISABETH HARRISON
Some city and town leaders have criticized the pension overhaul up for a vote tomorrow because it does not address $2 billion in unfunded promises to municipal workers. Cranston Mayor Allan Fung is one of those critics, and he stopped by our studios to talk about the future of locally managed retirement systems.
The Pench What's Next: Raimondo urges lawmakers to pass the pension bill PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-16) By IAN DONNIS
With the General Assembly slated to vote Thursday on pension overhaul legislation, state Treasurer Gina Raimondo is calling on lawmakers to pass the bill. Raimondo sat down yesterday in her Statehouse office with Rhode Island Public Radio political reporter Ian Donnis.
Do RI lawmakers understand pension reform? PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-14) By ELISABETH HARRISON
Nearly a quarter of Rhode Island's General Assembly has no college degree and some members have never attended any school after high school. As lawmakers prepare to vote on complex and sweeping changes to public employee pensions, Rhode Island Public Radio education reporter Elisabeth Harrison wondered how well they are prepared for the task.
The Pench What's Next: amended bill clears first legislative hurdle PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-11) By IAN DONNIS and FLO JONIC
The House and Senate Finance Committees voted separately last night in favor of a bill to overhaul Rhode Island's state pension system.The vote was 10-to-1 in Senate Finance, and 13-to-2 in House Finance.
The Pench What's Next: revised bill up for preliminary vote PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-10) By IAN DONNIS
The House and Senate finance committees are expected to vote today on an amended overhaul to the public retirement system. State Treasurer Gina Raimondo says it the amended bill will still put the retirement system on healthy path, but Governor Lincoln Chafee calls the overhaul incomplete.
The Pench What's Next: Chafee calls on state to aid municipal pensions PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-03) By IAN DONNIS
Governor Lincoln Chafee says the state is working toward a compromise to help shore up badly underfunded local pension plans. Chafee agrees that the 36 local pensions outside the state system are a big problem.
The Pench What's Next: Raimondo defends pension numbers PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-02) By IAN DONNIS
State Treasurer Gina Raimondo defended the underlying basis for the pension overhaul plan being considered by the General Assembly. Raimondo testified during the last of three joint Finance Committee meetings.
The Pench What's Next: mayors plead with the state for help PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-02) By IAN DONNIS
Municipal officials pleaded with the legislature's joint Finance Committee for help in shoring up their sorely unfunded local pension plans. Thirty-six local pensions that operate outside the state system have $2 billion in unfunded liability.
The Pench What's Next: Municipalities testify on pension plan PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-11-01) By IAN DONNIS
Leaders of Rhode Island cities and towns will be making their case to the General Assembly's joint Finance Committee on what they need from the proposed pension overhaul plan. Many of the municipalities have just a small percentage of the money needed to meet their long-term commitments.
The Pench What's Next: Pension War Heats Up Airwaves Providence, RI (2011-10-31) By FLO JONIC
The battle over pension reform is now being played out on the airwaves.
The Pench What's Next: the politics of pench reform PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-31) By RIPR NEWS
Rhode Island Public Radio's Political Analyst Scott MacKay sat down with Morning Edition Host Elisabeth Harrison to discuss the politics of pension reform: What it means for the state, the cities, and how the unions are treading carefully on the topic.
The Pench What's Next: Pension hearing focused on municipal workers PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-27) By FLO JONIC
Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine is appealing to lawmakers to pass the pension overhaul bill proposed by Governor Lincoln Chafee and General Treasurer Gina Raimondo.
The Pench What's Next: retirees weigh-in PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-27) By FLO JONIC
A piece of the proposed pension overhaul plan calls for freezing cost of living adjustments for retirees until the pension reaches an 80 percent funding level. That could take nearly 20 years. The idea is going over like flies at a picnic among retirees like 94-year-old Milton Bronstein.
The Pench What's Next: Rallies and testimony over state pension plan PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-26) By FLO JONIC & RIPR NEWSROOM
Testimony at Wednesday's public hearing on proposed pension overhaul pit organized labor against small business. Hundreds of people crowded the state house for the first of three public hearings on a bill that would scale back public employee pension benefits in an effort to return the plan to solvency.
The Pench What's Next: a former state treasurer weighs-in on the proposal PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-26) By SCOTT MACKAY
During the late 1990's Nancy Mayer was Rhode Island's state treasurer. And much like current treasurer Gina Raimondo, Mayer focused her time in office on the state's pension system. Now that Governor Lincoln Chafee and Treasurer Gina Raimondo have released their legislation tackling a $9 billion unfunded pension liability, Rhode Island Public Radio's Scott MacKay talks with Mayer to see what she thinks of the plan.
The Pench What's Next: Public hearings on pension plan start Wednesday PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-25) By DANA REILLY
The public gets to weigh in Wednesday morning at the first public hearing on the proposed pension overhaul plan at the state house.
The Pench What's Next: pension piggy bank PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-25) By MEGAN HALL and BRADLEY CAMPBELL
A few months ago, Rhode Island Public Radio brought you "The Pench"- a series on the Ocean State's pension problem. Now that the General Assembly is considering a plan to overhaul the way Rhode Island pays its retirees, we're back with a series we're calling, "The Pench What's Next."
The Pench What's Next: Chafee says he'll consider changes PROVIDENCE, RI (2011-10-21) By IAN DONNIS
Governor Lincoln Chafee says he's willing to consider changes to his approach for strengthening locally administered pensions.