May 12, 2009 History of pension abuse on Beacon Hill Play video

(NECN: Jim Braude) - Have you been devouring all the latest reporting on pension abuses on Beacon Hill? Well here's news. Its old news. The story goes back years and years, and so does the apathy of Beacon Hill.

The man who knows all about it is reporter Michael Jonas of Commonwealth Magazine. He joins Jim Braude on this segment of Broadside.

As much of the state struggles with shrinking municipal budgets, lawmakers are now digging into their own benefits to cut costs.

Governor Deval Patrick has pushed for reform in the state's pension system.

Patrick has called on state workers to give up pension perks and loopholes that allow them to bolster their retirement payouts.

One benefit that's being contested is known as Section 10.

It's the option for lawmakers who decide not to run for re-election to start collecting on their pensions before they're 55.

Jonas explains that this termination prevention provision applies broadly to everybody in state government. He says when Commonwealth Magazine looked at records, they found more than 1,000 employees who had availed themselves to this benefit.