The response to David Washburn‘s story headline today is one that we all fear.

Public agencies that don’t have healthy reserve levels set aside for the rainy day that has now arrived as a Category 4 hurricane are trying to keep their heads above water (pun intended). Revenues are down, a variety of expenses including pension payments are likely to go up and this is not the time to be asking the public for more cash out of their pockets.

And the reality of the fact is that many municipalities have already reduced service levels down to a bare minimum.

We must leave no stone unturned. I say it’s time we take on the big elephant in the room: public safety pension benefits. We need pension reform in a very big way, and we need it now.

We cannot afford any sacred cows.

The election is just around the corner. Do you know where your candidates stand on pension reform? This isn’t a yes or no question. Probe deeper and ask if they have the courage to address public safety pensions.

— LANI LUTAR

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