Fix pension problems

The Journal Sentinel and at least one County Board supervisor seem awfully quick to jettison local responsibility over the Milwaukee County retirement system.

County employees, retirees and taxpayers deserve better. Instead of rushing to the state of Wisconsin to try to wash their hands of years of pension mismanagement, it would be far better for county supervisors such as Sheldon Wasserman to demand answers to some pretty basic questions — such as why was the retirement plan’s former director given a substantial raise just weeks before she was forced to resign.

Milwaukee is not the only county (or city) with its own pension. Many municipalities administer their own pensions throughout the country. The problem is habitually inept management in this particular county. Let’s identify and address the problems causing the mismanagement and fiscal shortfalls. Only then can there be a serious discussion on whether any outside entity should be managing the system.

With so many unknowns right now, county resources should be used to hire competent professionals who can diagnose what is going on and ensure that Milwaukee County honors its contractual obligations to those who served or continue to serve the public. Spending county money now to justify the transfer of pension management to anyone outside the county is premature and does not solve the underlying problems.

As a physician such as Wasserman would know, one needs to treat the disease rather than the symptoms.

Rick Badger American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 32 Madison