TUA Receives Excellent Press Coverage With Release of New York Pension Info

NEW YORK – Taxpayers United of America has released the top pension estimates for New York State government teachers and employees. “We are shedding light at last, on the problems with New York’s government pension system,” said Christina Tobin, Vice President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), and founder and President of Free and Equal Elections. “Minimal reform has occurred in New York as legislators consider measures that do little to actually solve the problem. Much more pressure is needed from taxpayers,” she said.

“The broken government pension system desperately needs reform, and revealing individual names and pension amounts illustrates the problem very clearly,” said Tobin. “The current system, designed to keep the wrong people in power, is corrupt. It is a system that makes government, and those with whom government negotiates — union bosses, politicians, and administrators — wealthy on the backs of taxpayers.”

“There is no fair representation of taxpayers. This is a nationwide problem that burdens the Left and Right alike, and has fueled the financial crisis facing taxpayers and retirees. The urgency of this crisis is illustrated by the excellent press coverage that our government pension reports have received throughout New York.”

Tobin, who toured through New York state revealing top government pension estimates to the public, received coverage from Metro New York, TimesUnion.com, and Capitol Confidential. Of particular note was the following story from reporter January Keaton at ABC 10 News.

Tobin stated that while the individual pension amounts have been eye-opening in the communities that have followed the law and released the pension information requested by Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, TUA will be exploring all options to obtain the information still being withheld by the city government bureaucrats of New York City.

“I have hand delivered a letter to Gov. Cuomo and the Legislature, calling for additional pension reform that will be both fair and sustainable. Until pension plans eliminate the possibility of unfunded liabilities that crush taxpayers and threaten payments to the retirees counting on them, pension crises will continue to escalate. TUA is ready to work with legislators who want to do what’s in the best interest of the constituency and not the union bosses who fund their reelection.”

TUA will be revealing more States’ pensions across the nation, including those of Colorado and Minnesota in the coming weeks.