NEWS
July 5, 2012
As a Baltimore County taxpayer, I have a few suggestions for County Executive Kevin Kamenetz to include in his ongoing union contract negotiations with public employees: No more using unused sick leave to boost retirement. Sick leave is a benefit when an employee or family member is sick. It is not to be used as a retirement benefit. Don't come to work sick. Double the amount required to be in the pension program and the health program. No more paid holidays in excess of the normal private sector holidays, especially Black Friday.
NEWS
By Frank Langfitt and Frank Langfitt,Sun Staff Writer | February 16, 1995
Contrary to previous public statements, Gov. Parris N. Glendening said yesterday that he clearly recalled learning in 1992 about the creation of a controversial Prince George's County pension program.But minutes later, in the same interview, Mr. Glendening reversed himself, saying that he could not specifically recall hearing about the program at the time it was enacted.The issue of when the governor first knew about the pension program is central to the controversy that has engulfed him and three top aides, who stood to receive tens of thousands of dollars in extraordinary early retirement benefits from the county pension program.
NEWS
By Frank Langfitt and Frank Langfitt,Sun Staff Writer | March 17, 1995
State Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. urged fellow senators yesterday to support a bill that would prohibit three top gubernatorial aides from collecting tens of thousands of dollars in early pension payments from Prince George's County.Mr. Miller, a Prince George's Democrat, told a Senate subcommittee that the bill would prevent the county's pension program and others like it from benefiting elected and appointed officials who lose their jobs for political reasons."Appointees accept jobs knowing that they serve at the will of the appointing authority and, indirectly, at the will of the people," Mr. Miller said.
NEWS
April 13, 1998
FIXING WHAT AILS the state's $24 billion pension program cannot -- and should not -- be done in a hurry as the General Assembly rushes to meet today's midnight adjournment deadline.Some important changes can be made to improve retirement for 120,000 teachers and state workers, but not the sweeping $3 billion proposal pushed by the pension board and worker unions.Maryland's pension system lacks flexibility and employee participation. The worker makes no contribution and receives a defined benefit that has not kept pace with retirement needs.
NEWS
By Frank Langfitt and Frank Langfitt,Sun Staff Writer Sun staff writer Peter Jensen contributed to this article | February 25, 1995
Michael J. Knapp, the governor's nominee for personnel secretary, said yesterday that he made a mistake in helping to set up a Prince George's County pension program that came to benefit him, the governor and two other top state aides.Mr. Knapp said, in retrospect, that he should have limited the scope of the pension program so that it only applied to employees whose jobs were abolished for economic reasons, not those like himself who were simply "terminated.""I regret that my actions have caused problems for you and are taking a tremendous amount of your time," Mr. Knapp told the 19-member Senate Executive Nominations Committee during his confirmation hearing in Annapolis.
NEWS
By Kris Antonelli and Kris Antonelli,Staff writer | May 17, 1991
Thirty-five angry volunteer firefighters from 10 companies drove fire equipment around the Arundel Center in Annapolis last night, protesting budget cuts they say are harsher than those levied against othercounty departments.The volunteers are up in arms over a proposed$150,000 cut in their pension fund that would deny each recipient a $480-a-year increase.In County Executive Robert R. Neall's proposed 1991-1992 budget, volunteers would be given only 5.2 percent -- $2.2 million -- of the county's $41.5 million fire budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.This year, the volunteer program got $2.4 million of the $41.3 fire budget.