Fiscal Policy Institute Economist: Public Services, Public Worker Wages And Pensions Are Sustainable

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=1352896

1/26/2011
By Doug Cunningham

Public services and the public worker wages and pensions that make them possible are manageable, sustainable and are not a burden taxpayers can no longer afford. That’s not coming from a union spokesman. These are the views of the Fiscal Policy Institute’s Dr. James Parrot.

: “There’s no question about it. We have severe budget problems, but I think it’s manageable. It’s essential to maintain these as part of the retirement security safety net. We can maintain the integrity and the value of public pensions as an essential part of the retirement security system. There’s clearly an opportunity to ask high-income people in New York to contribute their fair share to a solution. The public unions will do their part.”

Dr. Parrot says slashing government spending will actually hurt the economic recovery.

: “If the response at this point is to really put the screws to state government budgets, to cut that spending, to lay off public sector workers – that’s only gonna keep us mired in this severe economic downturn for that much longer.”