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2012

Retired Employee Benefits = $1,904,471

Active Employee Benefits = $824,820

All Other Expense = -$1,210,925

Total New Spending = $1,518,366

2013

Retired Employee Benefits = $2,976,565

Active Employee Benefits = $1,479,485

All Other Expense = $578,559

Total New Spending = $5,034,609

2014

Retired Employee Benefits = $1,015,500

Active Employee Benefits = $109,105

All Other Expense = $976,679

Total New Spending = $2,101,284

2015

Retired Employee Benefits = $2,023,659

Active Employee Benefits = $2,320,921

All Other Expense = $135,306

Total 15 Year New Spending = $4,479,886

From 2005 - 2019 cumulative 15 year new spending (spent equal amount of new revenue on retired employees then active)

Retired Employee Benefits = $23,831,278

Active Employee Benefits = $23,811,682

All Other Expense = $7,548,489

Total 10 Year New Spending = $55,191,449

From 2010 - 2019 cumulative 10 year new spending (spent more new revenue on retired employees then active)

Retired Employee Benefits = $16,438,035

Active Employee Benefits = $12,484,637

All Other Expense = $7,907,019

Total New Spending = $36,829,691

From 2015 - 2019 cumulative 5 year new spending

Retired Employee Benefits = $8,259,042

Active Employee Benefits = $10,017,650

All Other Expense = $7,545,390

Total 5 Year New Spending = $25,822,082

It is pretty clear that the issue in this city is that retired employee benefits are consuming so much of the budget that all other area of the budget are being negatively effected. Keep in mind the school budget today is less than the 2010 budget.

Just about 50 cents of every new tax dollar collected today, pays for retiree benefits.

Over $9 million is spent each year from the city budget on retiree healthcare costs. On the school side that amount is $600 thousand dollars.

What the stakeholders in the city need to do is develop a plan where cost saving can be realized by reducing the cost of legacy benefits and redistribute those saving back into compensation, benefits and tools that the existing employees need to perform future services. At this point even with a maximum tax increase every year, this city cannot meet the new revenue needed to provide existing municipal and educational programs and services while meeting escalating retiree expenses.

Hopefully we can all contemplate these numbers, not attack me the messenger and continue with a civilize debate.