SYRACUSE -- Sue Smith retired as a librarian twenty five years ago but she couldn't help herself from straightening the books on a recent visit to the White Branch on Syracuse's north side. The then 16-year-old Smith started working at the White Branch in 1946 when she talked to the head librarian about a part time job.
"She hired me, I went to work the next day and I never really left," laughed Smith.
She worked 39 years as a librarian for the city and the county. Smith says the relatively low pay was offset by good benefits, including a pension that now pays here around $15,000 a year.
Public pensions like hers are now under a lot of pressure and Onondaga County's Chief Fiscal Officer isn't sure how long they will last.
"It's a huge concern. The rate of increase in our pension expense is clearly unsustainable," said James Rowley.
Onondaga County says its pension bill will go from $15 million in 2008 to an estimated $41 million in 2012. Rowley expects that for every dollar paid to an employee - another twenty cents will have to go to the pension system.
The CSAE, which represents about 3,000 Onondaga County workers, says the average county pension is only around $14,000. The union's spokesperson said that recent changes to the retirement system, including the addition of "Tier 5" for new employees should eventually reduce much of the pension budget crunch. Tier 5 classification means new hires will have to pay three percent of their income into the retirement system for their entire career instead of just the first ten years.
"They were made so this is a sustainable system over time and we fully expect those costs will level out so they will not be an additional cost to taxpayers," said CSEA spokesman Mark Kotzin.
But James Rowley says Tier 5 doesn't go far enough and that the county needs to stop putting new employees into the pension system and go with a 401k style system.
"From my perspective it's going to happen at some point, not sure when but that's clearly the kind of reform that we need so we know the dollars we're paying for new employees are capped or fixed at a certain point," said Rowley.
Unions say the savings from a 401k style plan are doubtful and would just add to Wall Street profits.
"Let's realize that there are many forces calling for the switch that are interested solely in making money off of it and not to the benefit of taxpayers, not to the benefit of workers," said Kotzin.
Former librarian Sue Smith says that while changes may be needed, an end to pensions could deter people from public service jobs.
"It can save today but what is it going to be tomorrow?" said Smith.
