TKC Told You So: Jackson County Showdown Over Deputy Pension Spike

We've been talking about tensions running high at the courthouse for the past few weeks.

Here's one more example of hard feelings . . .

It takes two-thirds of the nine-member legislature to reverse a veto, which means all six who voted for the change will have to show up on Tuesday, or White will prevail.

In his veto message, White said the legislature’s action to raise the retirement rate benefit by 50% for one group of county employees was unwise and might destabilize the pension fund .

Others who share his view include Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forte’ and J. Dale Youngs, presiding judge of the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County.

Youngs said in an email requesting the veto that the change “unfairly treats county-funded employees of our Court disparately.”

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Frank White vetoes last-minute change in county pension plan by lame-duck legislators

The Jackson County Legislature recently took the unusual and controversial step of singling out sheriff's deputies for special treatment in the county pension plan. That change was done over the objections of every other top official in county government, and was passed the same day it was introduced without a chance for the pension board to evaluate its financial implications.