The Ohio Retirement Study Council, the Legislature's pension oversight committee, voted unanimously to reject a proposal in Gov. Ted Strickland's budget that would cut the state's contributions to the $60 billion Ohio Public Employees Retirement System to 8% from 14%, according to a report on the council's website.
According to a separate statement on Columbus-based OPERS' website, state Rep. Todd Book and state Sen. Keith Faber, both council members, said at a council meeting that the contribution cut was rejected by lawmakers. Nathan Aichele, Mr. Faber's legislative aide, confirmed the proposal had been rejected.
Julie Graham-Price, OPERS spokeswoman, said she understood that a deal to drop the contribution cuts had been struck by the state Senate, House and Mr. Strickland's office, but that the budget discussion period had been extended until July 14, “so we're not done yet.”
Amanda Wurst, Mr. Strickland's press secretary, did not return a call seeking comment about the fate of the contribution cut proposal.
