Oklahoma’s Police Pension Boost Will Be Costly
A boost to the police pension system will cost taxpayers millions.
As Paul Monies reported, the changes will boost the pensions of current officers in the late stages of their careers. Backers of Senate Bill 102, including police unions like the Fraternal Order of Police, said it could help recruitment and retention.
But taxpayers aren’t the only ones expecting to foot the bill. Retired police officers drawing their pensions have had just one cost of living increase in 15 years and expect the money spent on the new rates will diminish their chances of getting another.
Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed SB 102 on May 21. Lawmakers in the House and Senate overrode the veto in the last week of the session, with police officers packing the galleries to watch the override votes in each chamber.
Police union political action committees have contributed more than $60,000 to legislative candidates in the current election cycle.
More worth reading:
Part of Gender-Change Law Reversed
Calling it a policy in search of a purpose, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, in sending the civil rights case back to a lower court, said the state has shown no legitimate state interest in its banning of changes to birth certificate designations. [Tulsa World]
Governor Rejects Mental Health Settlement
Gov. Kevin Stitt and the state’s mental health commissioner opposed a proposed settlement in a federal lawsuit that would guarantee timely and legally mandated competency restoration to jail inmates. [Oklahoma Voice]
State Settles with MOGA
The Make Oklahoma Great Again Political Action Committee will pay the state $25,000 to settle an Oklahoma Ethics Commission complaint. [Oklahoma Voice]
Cole Wins Outright
Eleven-term Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Tom Cole won a five-way Republican primary outright on Tuesday and avoided an August runoff. [AP]
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”
— Frederick Douglass
Ciao for now,
Ted Streuli
Executive Director, Okla
