Mayor Kenney wants to double the length of time political
appointees must work for the city before they can earn a pension.
"Municipal pensions are made for people who are
going to work their career in city government, making generally a lower wage
than they would in the private sector," Kenney said during a meeting with
the Inquirer's Editorial Board last week.
At the moment, city employees not covered by civil
service or one of the four municipal unions must work for the city for five
years before they are eligible for a pension. Kenney would like that lengthened
to 10 years, the same vesting period now required for the city's union
employees.
"You should not be rewarding a high-paid political
appointee who stays on five years with a lifetime payment," Kenney said.
"I would like to change that back to 10-year vesting."
Shortly after taking office, Kenney rejected a request to
keep former Mayor Michael Nutter's communications director, Desiree Peterkin
Bell, on the city payroll until Feb. 5 so she could make her five-year mark and
be vested in the pension system. She stood to collect a $17,610 annual pension
when she turned 60.
"I think, optically, the five-year vesting is
terrible," Kenney said.
As of July, there were 3,078 city employees enrolled in
the five-year vesting plan, according to the pension board. A number for how
many people have taken a pension after working five years was not immediately
available.
If Kenney wanted to change the five-year vesting policy,
he would have to get legislation approved by City Council. All Council members
have aides who could vest in five years.
Source: Philly.com
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