Vote on pension reform plan set for weekend

HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is going to Austin on Thursday to prepare for what could be the decisive battle in the city’s pension reform fight.

The showdown happens Saturday when the Texas House is scheduled to vote on the city’s pension reform plan.

Turner plans to spend the rest of this week lobbying legislators.

He believes that the House pension bill has the support needed to pass, but he said it’s not a done deal.

"We’re going to continue to contact the members, be in their offices, making phone calls, utilizing social media, encouraging the general public to contact members of the Texas House as well,” Turner said.

Turner said pension reform is needed to avert layoffs and reverse the city’s $8 billion pension deficit.

A similar version of the bill passed the Senate last week, with the addition of an amendment requiring police and firefighters to adopt what’s called a “cash balance” retirement system if their pension funds fall below a certain level.

Houston firefighters opposed that bill and oppose the one coming up in the House.

“The bill that is affecting firefighters is punitive and is a direct attack on firefighters," Marty Lancton of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association said.

Firefighters said the reform plan cuts too much in future benefits and uses their healthy pension fund to make up for deficits in those of police and municipal workers.

"At what point does it become unpopular to stand with firefighters, the men and women who put their life on the line every day? And that’s a decision they all have to make for themselves," Lancton said.

Saturday's vote will likely be the definitive test of political clout for both sides.

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