Local Governments Face Big Pension Increases If Relief Bill Fails

Local officials and advocates say that rising pension contributions will cripple city, county and school district budgets if the General Assembly doesn’t pass a bill providing some relief this year. Senate Bill 66 would place a 12 percent cap on how much those pension costs can increase over the next decade. But Republican leaders of the legislature say they won’t pass a relief package without making changes to the state’s pension systems, which have an estimated $40 billion unfunded liability.