McGee favors DPW early retirement bill

LYNN – Sen. Thomas McGee, a Lynn Democrat and chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Service, says every state resident has the right to petition the Legislature and request he file a bill on their behalf, even if the issue isn’t one he supports.”People are entitled to a hearing if they feel strongly about something,” said McGee, who counts among the pending bills bearing his sponsorship one that would allow public works employees to retire at age 55.According to McGee, versions of the controversial bill have been through three previous legislative sessions without success. “We are a free petition state,” he said. “This is a classification bill and it will go through the public process. There has to be a legitimate reason to have a hearing and go through the process. In this case, there hasn’t even been a pubic hearing yet. One is scheduled in July along with numerous other group classification bills.”Firefighters, police, some corrections officers and even a smattering of electricians – due to the dangers inherent in their jobs – can retire at 55. Proponents of the public works employees early-retirement bill contend these workers experience on-the-job perils and should be allowed to retire at age 55 as well.”You have to work at least 32 years on the job and be at least 55 years old,” said McGee. “It’s not like you turn 55 and automatically get the retirement benefit.”McGee said the public works retirement bill pertains to Nahant, Ipswich, Boxford, Wenham and other communities with relatively small staffs of police, fire and public works employees and not cities like Lynn, Salem and Gloucester. The Essex Regional Retirement Board filed the bill on behalf of local public works unions.McGee said the matter becomes complicated when trying to establish job classification because the same job title might translate to vastly different responsibilities from one town to another. For example, a public works employee in one town could spend most days driving a truck, while in another a worker with the same job title might be underground amid fumes and other dangers.The cost of allowing these workers to retire at 55 also plays a major role in any discussion, said McGee, noting that those supporting the bill must provide the numbers when the hearing process begins.”This has been filed in the past and has gone to a study, but in the past it has not been something that has seen a positive response from the (Joint Committee on Public Service),” he said, noting costs would include the extra 10 years of each eligible employee’s pension, in addition to the salaries and health insurance for their replacements.”I’m also on the governor’s Commission on Pension Reform, so it’s something we are looking at closely,” he said.Currently 19 towns pay into the Essex Regional Retirement Board. Those opposed to the bill, like Middleton Town Manager Ira Singer, contend such legislation would further burden the member communities.The county retirement board recently approved a change that allows police and fire dispatchers to retire at age 60.